Is it possible to be considered a top-five player in the league without playing a single playoff game?

Who stands out as the media’s favorite player? Victor Wembanyama’s name definitely comes up as one of the options.

After finishing his rookie season last year, ESPN placed Wembanyama at number 11 in their ranking of the top 100 NBA players for the next season, which caught many off guard. Despite his stunning performance, he only appeared in 46 games due to blood clot problems, so by results alone, he wouldn’t qualify as the 11th best player in the league.

Last season, Wembanyama averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game, with a shooting percentage of 47.6% and a three-point percentage of 35.2%. Even after playing just 46 games, he still led the league in blocks. However, the Spurs’ overall record remained poor, finishing 34-48 and placing 13th in the Western Conference.

Even counting only the games Wembanyama played, the Spurs managed just 21 wins and 25 losses, a 45% win rate, which is not enough to qualify for the play-in tournament in the West. When evaluating a player, team success should always carry significant weight; otherwise, LeBron James should also be receiving more praise.

Against this backdrop, ESPN elevated Wembanyama to an even higher status than last year in their offseason ranking of the top 100 players for the next season. The top ten this year are: 1. Nikola Jokic 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 3. Luka Doncic 4. Giannis Antetokounmpo 5. Victor Wembanyama 6. Anthony Edwards 7. Stephen Curry 8. LeBron James 9. Kevin Durant 10. Jalen Brunson.

So, without having played a single playoff or even play-in game, and with only 117 career games to his name, Wembanyama has already been regarded by ESPN as a top-five superstar in the league.

Of course, this list is a prediction for the upcoming season. If Wembanyama continues his stepwise growth and becomes a first-team caliber player next season, then ranking fifth would be justified.

It’s often said that rookies should be judged over three years, but a talent of Wembanyama’s caliber is already recognized as a future league star after just one season. His performance in the third year will likely determine what level of superstar he ultimately becomes.

He is aware of this himself, so he hasn’t been idle during the offseason. After confirming that his blood clot issue was resolved, he spent some time training at the Shaolin Temple in China, focusing mainly on strengthening his mental resilience. Upon returning to the U.S., Wembanyama began intense offseason training.

Recent training photos show that Wembanyama has become noticeably stronger, with more defined muscle tone. Given his body type, he’s unlikely to become a muscular powerhouse like Giannis, but he can certainly continue to build strength to improve his inside scoring skills.

Therefore, Wembanyama also sought mentorship from Hakeem Olajuwon during the summer, training at the legendary “Dream Training Camp.” This camp is well-known in the NBA, and players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have significantly improved their post moves after training with Olajuwon. We can definitely look forward to seeing if Wembanyama will showcase the dream shake in the low post next season.

What has impressed me most about Wembanyama over these two years is not just his talent but his remarkable durability. He played 71 games in his rookie year, and last season was cut short only because of the blood clot, not due to basketball-related injuries.

Before entering the league, fans often said that with Wembanyama’s physique, he would break easily if bumped by a strong player like Clint Capela. However, over these two years, Wembanyama’s attendance has been much better than Capela’s, and even when he missed games, it was only due to minor injuries, never long-term absences. Durability is a key trait for a superstar, which is why fans and media hold such high expectations for him.

Along with high expectations comes significant pressure. A historically great player, no matter how slow the development, should be playing in the playoffs by the third season. At the very least, Wembanyama needs to strive for a top-eight spot in the Western Conference.

The competition in the West is indeed fierce, but the Spurs have provided Wembanyama with some quality teammates. Last season they acquired De’Aaron Fox via trade, drafted Jalen Harper as the second overall pick in the offseason, traded for Kelly Olynyk in the summer, and signed Corey Kispert. Wembanyama now has support both inside and outside the paint.

So from every perspective, Wembanyama has reached the point where he must deliver results. The once dominant Silver and Black team should now shake up the murky waters of the Western Conference.