In a league filled with superstars to model one's game after, there is one player that San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has not shown Victor Wembanyama a tape of. It's the 2023 NBA Champion Nikola Jokic.
Following the Spurs' 117-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, Popovich revealed the reasoning behind this in a post-game press conference.
"I don't think anybody can do what Nikola does," Popovich said. "I haven't shown him any Nikola tape. He's a one-off, amazing, fantastic phenomenon."
Interestingly, Popovich has shown plays made by LeBron James during his film sessions with Wembanyama. However, Jokic remains placed on a different standard as his skill set is unmatched, rivaling how other legendary NBA centers played at the time.
His combination of elite shotmaking from anywhere on the court and his sharp decision-making skills instantly make him one of the most interesting puzzle players to crack for opposing defenses.
Additionally, because of how skilled and dominant he plays the offensive end, his rim protection often goes overlooked.
In Victor Wembanyama's first year in the league, it's clear that he still has a long way to go before he reaches the status of Nikola Jokic. Be that as it may, he remains on the right track, considering how good he already looks as a rookie.
Victor Wembanyama talked about Nikola Jokic
Following the Spurs' Friday night loss to Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets, Victor Wembanyama had high praise for the superstar big man as he looked forward to his future battles against him.
"He's somebody I want to compete against for years and give 100% against," Wembanyama said (h/t Sports Illustrated). "But also someone that I respect a lot. I hope it's going to be great battles for the future. They might go back-to-back this year."
Victor Wembanyama already had some incredible matchups this season from the Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James. However, Jokic is a player he considers to be someone he looks forward to facing as he continues to develop and grow in the years to come.
This season, the Spurs rookie is averaging 20.6 points on 46.5% shooting, including 33.1% from beyond the arc. He is also putting up 10.3 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game.
