The San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft last month.
Their hope, obviously, is that he will one day look like Tim Duncan in terms of on-the-court talent and success.
In the meantime, however – folks will just have to settle for him looking like the Spurs legend visually.
This past week Wembanyama got a haircut. Fans at home couldn’t help but notice that it left him looking very much like a young Duncan in the aftermath.
Wemby got a haircut 👀💈
(via _isaaccuts702/IG) pic.twitter.com/rkPNneb6bO
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 18, 2023
El Tim Duncan de Shopee https://t.co/vgXLjUnFUd
— El Enmascarado (@DonJubilado) July 18, 2023
This is the most Spurs shit I’ve ever seen. They are already ripping his personality from him 😂😂😂#spurs #NBA https://t.co/QM9W3hYwRQ
— Divisti (@Divisti_) July 18, 2023
He turning into Timmy this scares me https://t.co/jAPoJ5NYHX
— JP (@jpburner_) July 18, 2023
Tim Duncan regen mode activated https://t.co/ND8V3WwEv1
— Jared🖤⚜️ (@ja_rd5) July 18, 2023
Tim Ducan had to set him straight 🤣 https://t.co/wbZD8PGeth
— Old Soldier (@BossMex) July 18, 2023
Pop said you gotta cut that big dawg 😭 https://t.co/HGORW0TFVt
— ZeeTwo (@zed_thekid_50) July 18, 2023
Duncan, for what it’s worth, doesn’t exactly look the same these days as he did during his active playing career.
Big picture, San Antonio obviously has a lot riding on Wembanyama living up to the lofty expectations that have been set for him. Both Duncan and David Robinson enjoyed immense success with the franchise, and the hope is that Wembanyama will follow in their big footsteps.
So far, Wembanyama hasn’t really had an opportunity to show what he can do. He had one awful Summer League game, then one good one – and that was it.
At the moment, Wembanyama’s sister has made more headlines for her outfit choices than he has made for substantive NBA accomplishments.
Next season will be telling. There is currently something of a mania surrounding Wembanyama, as evidenced by the aftermath of his viral interview with Michelle Beadle.
Hailey Van Lith knows how to make an impression. https://t.co/ggfeor7Zxp
— Game 7 (@game7__) July 18, 2023
So long as Wembanyama performs reasonably well in his rookie campaign, the hype will continue.
Should Wembanyama struggle as a rookie, though – the backlash will be harsh. And the comparisons to Duncan will go away in a hurry. Will he ultimately be able to elevate the Spurs to something remotely resembling a playoff squad? Time will tell.
Related: Is Angel Reese Secretly Dating Her LSU Teammate?
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
