When Zach Lowe talks, basketball people listen. The ESPN analyst and podcaster is widely regarded as the sharpest mind covering the NBA. So when he makes a proclamation as bold as this one, you pay attention.
On the latest episode of the Zach Lowe Show, Lowe declared that Victor Wembanyama will be considered the best player in the NBA by this time next year, according to the podcast.
Not a top-five player. Not a rising star. The best player in the league. Period.
"I'll bet you next season, Wemby is going to be considered the best player in the league," Lowe said. "As Wemby discovers how to get his points on offense, how not to force mid-range jumpers that are not great shots, how to work with Vassell and Fox and all these great guards, and off-ball actions that get the offense moving and get him into finishing positions...I think this time next year it's going to be a consensus opinion that he's the best player in the league."
Let that sink in. Consensus. Not a debate. Not a "he's in the conversation." Lowe believes Wembanyama will be universally recognized as the best player in basketball within a year.
The boldness of this prediction cannot be overstated. The NBA currently has Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all playing at MVP levels. These are established superstars in their primes. And Lowe is saying a 21-year-old in his second season will leapfrog all of them.
But here's the thing: Lowe's not just making this prediction out of thin air. He's basing it on what he's already seeing, particularly on defense. In fact, Lowe has called Wembanyama "the most dominant defender I've ever seen" - above , , and .
