Four-time NBA champion Draymond Green has claimed that Lebron James wouldn’t be traded for Victor Wembanyama, despite all the hype around the top Prospect of the 2023 draft class.
Speaking on his eponymous show on The Volume, which also promotes the likes of Colin Cowherd and Richard Sherman, the Warriors’ veteran forward said: ‘There’s been a lot of talk on… is Wemby the best prospect since LeBron. I saw some people say he’s the best prospect ever. Of course everyone says that now, but lets not forget how big a prospect LeBron James was.
‘LeBron James was a phenom from 15 years old… LeBron James was the No. 1 pick as a 15-year-old. So, although we like to move on fast to the next thing I’m just not going off the rail and saying he’s a better prospect than LeBron… however, he is definitely the best prospect since LeBron and probably the second best prospect ever. Also, we tend to forget what type of prospect LeBron was because he did the unthinkable.
‘What we thought of him as a prospect, he actually outlived and outdid what we thought of him as a prospect. So it’s very easy now in today’s day and age to say, ”Oh, he’s a better prospect than LeBron,” because you forget how big of a prospect LeBron was…because of how much he’s done. But LeBron was a huge, crazy prospect.’
‘I’m not sure how many [players wouldn’t be dealt for Wembanyama] but there’s definitely a few,’ added Green later on the latest episode of his podcast. ‘LeBron wouldn’t be. Steph [Curry] wouldn’t be. I don’t think Luka [Doncic] would be, Joker (Nikola Jokic) wouldn’t be. I think there’s a few more names out there.
Warriors veteran’ Draymond Green says Victor Wembanyama’s the next big thing since LeBron
Green – a four-time NBA champ’ – added that most have forgotten about James’ rookie days
‘So, let’s just say for the sake of standard roster sports – 450 sports, 435, 440 – would be, which is saying a lot.’
Wembanyama, a seven-foot-three phenom from France, seems poised to follow in the footsteps of Hall of Famers David Robinson and Tim Duncan after the Spurs won the lottery for the third time on Tuesday and landed the No. 1 pick.
Current NBA All-Stars, from Giannis Antetokounmpo to Stephen Curry and LeBron James, and most gainfully employed talent evaluators view the unique skilled 19-year-old as a transcendent talent.
Fans forget ‘how big of a prospect LeBron was…because of how much he’s done,’ Green said
James, 38, (L) and others view the unique skilled Wembanyama, 19 (R) a transcendent talent
‘There’s a special relation between France and the Spurs because of Tony (Parker) of course, and also Boris (Diaw),’ Wembanyama said.
‘I know half of the country, if not the whole country, wanted the Spurs to have the first pick. So I was looking at everyone and everyone was happy, so I was too.
‘Not to brag about it, but I knew what was going to happen and I actually recorded myself saying it this morning walking to practice. So yeah, the universe told me. Dreams, feelings, it happens sometimes, but it’s never wrong, it’s always right.’
San Antonio has scored big already, with the ticket office taking more than 2,000 season ticket orders in the hours after the lottery ended.
‘I’m excited for the city, for the franchise,’ Spurs GM Brian Wright said. ‘(The lottery) was a great start. It’s the beginning, not the end. There is still a lot of work to do.’
