Why did Victor Wembanyama thank LeBron James for calling him an "Alien" instead of a "Unicorn"? Understanding James' comments on potential No. 1 pick

Basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama garnered a lot of praise from LeBron James a while ago. However, Wemby followed up with these comments and said that he preferred to be called an "alien" rather than a "unicorn".

To understand the context behind these comments, we have to take a step back and take a look at the phenom that he is. Victor Wembanyama is a 19-year-old French basketball player who is widely regarded as the greatest draft prospect since LeBron James.

Standing at roughly 7'3" without shoes, Wembanyama is an absolute vertical specimen. With an even larger wingspan, one can understand why he is shrouded in such wonder and amazement. However, his length and size are far from his most impressive traits.

The hype behind Wemby lies in his athleticism, agility, coordination and sheer skillset. In many ways, Wembanyama could be the most unique basketball talent in recent years. The closest comparison would be Kristaps Porzingis and Wemby is still supposed to be better.

With all this in mind, along with intense media coverage, it is understandable why even someone like LeBron James had immense praise for the youngster. James had highlighted that Wembanyama's potential could certainly see him presented as a "unicorn".

However, the LA Lakers superstar also emphasized that the media presents a "unicorn" in almost every draft class. In this regard, he added that Wemby was more like an "alien" because we've never seen anything like him.

Getting a reaction like this from one of the greatest to ever play the game is undoubtedly a surreal experience. Wembanyama also responded to James' comments in an interview. He said:

"First of all, I'm really glad he said that cause I didn't like to be called a unicorn. I like it cause it's just something not from this world. I like being called an alien. It's really what I'm working to be, something unique and original."

With everything taken into consideration, Victor Wembanyama is presented as the undisputed first overall pick in next year's draft. As a two-way player with an unknown ceiling, several teams in the league will be in pursuit of that first pick.

Read: "That's my goal rather than trying to put on 15 kilos and take risks" - Victor Wembanyama wants to preserve No. 1 pick status over putting on muscle

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Victor Wembanyama has the tools to succeed in the NBA

Wembanyama is currently playing professionally in the French league, LNB Pro A for Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92. At a very young age, he has looked like one of the most dominant players in the league.

While there could be some criticism pertaining to this due to the quality of the competition, Wemby was equally dominant during his showcase in America. In his matchup against the G League Ignite squad, Wemby put on a show for the crowd.

His height and length have already made him a matchup nightmare in most cases. When pairing this with his ability to handle the ball and create shots from the outside, he can be virtually unguardable.

Although the upside to his development is potentially limitless, Wembanyama is likely to face some issues early on. With his physical specs being a bit of a concern, it will be interesting to see how he copes with the challenge.

Read: Photo: Victor Wembanyama featured on cover of Sports Illustrated