2 min read • May 16, 2023
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Victor Wembanyama, the towering 7-foot French basketball prodigy, faces some concerns regarding his durability due to a history of injuries. This is a recurring issue that has derailed many careers of tall players going as far back as Bill Walton in 1974.
Recent examples of slender players who faced similar challenges include Chet Holmgren and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who weighed 195 and 196 pounds, respectively, when drafted.
Despite the concerns, Wembanyama remains a top prospect boasting an 86 SIC score. This suggests that he is in no danger of dropping out of being the first pick.
Holmgren, who had similar body concerns when coming out of Gonzaga, missed the entire 2022-2023 season due to a Lisfranc fracture sustained while defending LeBron James in the paint. In contrast, Antetokounmpo managed to grow into his body and now, at 242 pounds, is a perennial all-star in the NBA.
Wembanyama's own injury history is quite extensive. In the 2020/2021 season, he missed three months due to a fractured fibula. The following year, he participated in only 33 out of 76 possible games, missing the playoffs due to a muscle issue. In 2021, he was also sidelined for four weeks with a fractured finger and later missed over two months due to a bone contusion.
Despite these setbacks, Wembanyama's physical attributes are not a major cause for concern according to our Pro Basketball Docs. His level of slenderness should not affect his performance to the same extent it did for Holmgren and others in the past.
Wembanyama has developed his skills in Europe, which typically exhibit a rougher style of play than U.S. colleges. His ability to adapt to this more aggressive style of play could potentially mitigate some of the risks associated with his past injuries.
There are still durability concerns surrounding Wembanyama as he prepares to enter the NBA. His injury history includes a stress fracture, various muscle issues, and a finger injury. However, Pro Basketball Docs see no indications of cardiac or connective tissue issues or Marfan's syndrome which would be a worst-case scenario.
If load-managed correctly, Wembanyama has the potential to blossom into an NBA superstar. There's a degree of risk involved, but his talent and potential outweigh the concerns.
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