Victor Wembanyama earns rare LeBron James-level praise from Kendrick Perkins
· Yahoo Sports
Victor Wembanyama‘s rise to the NBA Finals has drawn one of the strongest endorsements possible from former NBA champion and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins.
Following the San Antonio Spurs‘ 111-103 Game 7 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, Perkins placed Wembanyama in rare company with LeBron James, while discussing the 22-year-old’s impact on the league.
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“Wemby is the best thing that happened to the NBA since LeBron James in 2003, real talk,” Perkins said on SportsCenter. “And he checked all the boxes. Number one, he’s box office, so he’s going to put butts in the seats. He’s the ultimate competitor on both ends of the floor.
“And what a beautiful performance throughout the whole course of this conference finals and the playoffs to get his team to the NBA Finals.”
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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn ImagesThe praise came after Wembanyama guided the Spurs to their first NBA Finals appearance since the 2013-14 season. In the decisive Game 7, the French superstar recorded 22 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal while playing 42 minutes.
Although the numbers were not overwhelming, his influence was evident throughout the game. San Antonio relied on his scoring, rim protection and defensive communication to close out the defending champions on their home floor.
Victor Wembanyama’s leadership becoming just as valuable as his talent
Perkins was particularly impressed by the growth of Wembanyama as a leader.
“I can’t speak on his leadership enough, on what he’s brought to the table, embodying the rest of his young squad, being a true leader and trusting his teammates,” Perkins said. “The Spurs on the road in a tough environment, they had seven guys in double figures tonight.”
That point may be the most important takeaway from San Antonio’s playoff run. Wembanyama won Western Conference Finals MVP after averaging 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in the series, but the Spurs have advanced because of their collective approach.
Julian Champagnie scored 20 points in Game 7, while Stephon Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Dylan Harper all made important contributions. The roster has evolved into a balanced group built around Wembanyama’s unique skill set.
Perkins’ comparison to LeBron is less about statistics and more about influence. Few young stars have transformed a franchise this quickly while elevating teammates and driving league-wide attention.
“When you look at what Wembanyama did after the game, you saw his emotions,” Perkins said. “He wanted, we heard him talk about how he wanted to participate in the dunk contest, how he wanted to win the MVP, how he made the All-Star Game great again.
“And now all of a sudden, we’re watching these young men embrace everything about the league and especially headed to the NBA Finals for his first time.”
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Now, with the New York Knicks awaiting in the NBA Finals, Wembanyama has another opportunity to justify the growing belief that he is the league’s next defining superstar.