Tony Parker Has a Unique Worry About Victor Wembanyama and His NBA Future

While he has yet to appear in an NBA regular-season game, Victor Wembanyama is still the talk of the basketball world.

The French phenom has been tapped as a generational talent, capable of doing just about everything on the hardwood. Whether you need someone to swat shots in the paint or handle the ball on the perimeter, Wemby is (theoretically) your man. He did, after all, average, 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per outing during his most recent professional season in France.

But what if things go south? Have we considered the possibility that the teenager will encounter some issues along the way?

Well, Tony Parker certainly has. And, as both a Frenchman and a former San Antonio Spurs star, the Hall of Fame guard has a unique perspective on Wembanyama’s body of work. And that perspective comes along with a very specific worry.

So, what’s the worry? And how big of a concern will it be?

Let’s break it all down.

Parker has concerns about pressure facing Wembanyama

For the most part, Victor Wembanyama has already received plenty of praise. Most worries about his NBA future are tied to his slight frame; there are potential mitigating factors there, though, like hitting the gym and spending more time on the perimeter than in the paint.

Parker’s fear, however, is mental rather than physical.

“Now with all the expectations and everything that is happening, it worries me a little bit sometimes,” the guard told ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “You know, because those expectations are crazy! You know, calling him like you said the best prospect and comparing him to LeBron or Michael or Timmy [Duncan].”

It goes without saying, though, that the former guard is hoping for a positive outcome.

“I wish him the best,” Parker added. “He’s going to have his own journey, and he needs to stay himself. … Hopefully he can be successful and bring us a lot of championships.”

Wembanyama isn’t a stranger to proving doubters wrong

To be completely fair to Parker, his concern isn’t really a slight against Wembanyama; there’s no indication that he doesn’t believe Wemby can’t handle the pressure. With that being said, though, the young Frenchman has already provided enough evidence to change one former NBA star’s mind.

Earlier in 2023, Shaquille O’Neal told Sportscasting.com that he “was more on the skeptical side” about Wembanyama’s NBA future.

“I’m only seeing highlights of him dunk the ball and shoot jumpers,” O’Neal explained. “I haven’t really seen a lot of post moves. We haven’t seen a lot of that stuff. So again, now you could be a star in France. When you come over here, you definitely got to start all over. A lot of guys have a lot of hype and came over here, some played out, and some didn’t.”

Within a matter of months, though, the legendary big man was singing a different tune.

“I say [Wembanyama can adjust to life in the NBA] really fast because guys are not playing down low anymore,” O’Neal told Suzy Shuster during an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “Guys are not playing physical anymore. They’re switching one through five. He’s a pick-and-pop guy. He can shoot pretty good. He’s like a 7-foot-4 Kevin Durant, so I think he can acclimate very, very quickly.”

It seems like the Frenchman’s path to the pros running through San Antonio also affected Shaq’s stance.

“And he’s with the master,” the legendary Laker said in referring to Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. “Like, having a kid like that go to ‘The System’? [Whistles] That’s what I call the Spurs, ‘The System.’ Having a kid like that go to ‘The System,’ I think people better watch out.”

It goes without saying that O’Neal’s concerns are different than Parker’s. Physical skill and mental fortitude are two different sides of the same coin.

Wembanyama may be a relatively new player on basketball’s biggest stage, but he’s already had the collective eyes of the NBA world on him in the months leading up to the draft. There’s something to be said for standing strong, rather than wilting, in that spotlight.

Will things get tougher when the teenager suits up for the Spurs and is actually expected to shoulder the franchise’s burden? Of course, but he already has some experience handling the metaphorical heat and proving himself.

And, if Wembanyama is the generational talent that many believe him to be, handling pressure is simply going to be part of the job.