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It’s easy to see that the NBA is holding an audition on Wednesday night in front of a national audience.
We’re experiencing a fairly rare occasion that ESPN is broadcasting four teams on its platform and none of them feature LeBron James or Stephen Curry, the faces of the league.
Want to sneak a peek at what a post-LeBron/Steph NBA looks like?
In the early game, we’re receiving a potential Finals preview when the surging Cleveland Cavaliers play host to the scintillating Oklahoma City Thunder, both running away with the top seeds in their respective conferences. They’re not just good; they’re young and hungry to take over everything that’s in front of them. They’re making a compelling case for the coveted real estate of tomorrow.
But I’d argue that the audition is already done. It’s a wrap. We can talk ourselves into falling in love with the collective teams of Cleveland and OKC, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, the NBA has never been about the home-brewed bands. It’s all about the magnetic star, the one you can’t stop watching.
(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
The winner of the NBA post-LeBron/Steph audition has already been decided and it’s Victor Wembanyama, the guy who’s facing off against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the late game on ESPN. As much as we’ve invested in the Greek Freak and his remarkable story from the streets of Athens to an NBA championship at age 26, Antetokounmpo is no longer the future of the NBA.
It’s Victor Wembanyama. But he isn’t just the future. He is the guy now.
The Wemby Watch
LeBron James and Stephen Curry were Appointment Viewing. You just had to watch. In some ways, you still do. As LeBron and Steph enter their twilight years, the Appointment Viewing player hasn’t gone away. It’s just taken the form of a 7-foot-5 French phenom.
How do I know this? For one, he passed the Grandma test.
To be the face of the NBA, it’s not enough to sell yourself to the NBA junkie. It’s not about winning over the NBA casual fan either. It’s about the ones who are not fans at all. This is the true test: Can the player visually…
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Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2025-01-08 16:11:00
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