Victor Wembanyama (image source: Getty Images)
Victor Wembanyama has been the best rookie this season. The San Antonio Spurs have a history of nurturing talent and see in him a potential heir to the “Big Fundamental” Tim Duncan. Hence, it is unsurprising that the team signed him on a big rookie contract. He was creating waves before the draft last year and was anticipated to be the No. 1 pick for a long time.
Wembanyama’s Rookie Contract: A Game-Changer
During the Metropolitans 92 regular season, Victor Wembanyama averaged 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 3.0 blocks, and 32.3 minutes per game. He averaged 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, and 2.7 assists per game in 10 LNB Pro A playoff games.
According to Spotrac, Wembanyama and the Spurs agreed to a four-year, $55.1 million contract with a $24.9 million guarantee. If all goes as planned, the third and fourth-year team options included in the deal will be accepted.
It is one of the largest rookie deals ever and is entirely made to match the player’s talent. The Spurs will probably want to build a team around him, so they needed to give him a bumper deal. The Spurs might not be in playoff contention anymore, but with Wemby and other draft pieces, they can reach that level again and win the championship.
The contract also includes a 20 percent increase over the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement’s estimated minimum slot of roughly $10 million.
Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 player with an eight-foot wing spread and a shooter’s touch from the outside, is as thin as a reed and has averaged double digits in scoring in all five of the Spurs’ games while playing just 28 minutes a night.
A Future Billionaire in the Making?
Victor Wembanyama has the potential to become the first professional basketball player to earn $1 billion while playing, as reported by Randall Williams of BLOOMBERG NEWS. Although several prominent basketball players have amassed a fortune through sponsorship deals and other business endeavors, Wembanyama “stands to enter the ranks of the ultra-wealthy purely by lacing up his sneakers and stepping onto the hardwood night in and night out.”
After signing with Louis Vuitton recently, Wembanyama’s reputation as the NBA’s “Next Big Thing” is further cemented by this relationship.
