Victor Wembanyama's Coach Gets Honest on Michael Jordan Comparisons

Is Victor Wembanyama the next Michael Jordan?

Jul 27, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; France power forward Victor Wembanyama (32) reacts after the game against Brazil during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

One of the NBA's favorite things to do is to dub a young superstar as the next Michael Jordan. No matter how different the league has become since the 90s, making incredibly early comparisons to Jordan seems to never change - that exact same thing is happening again.

Victor Wembanyama has only been in the NBA for one season, but the early comparisons to Jordan are already here. Many younger NBA fans are already calling Wembanyama the next Jordan, but his French national team head coach disagrees, for now.

In an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic, French men's national basketball head coach Vincent Collet opened up on the early hype that Wembanyama is receiving.

“He was a little bit nervous. In France, everybody waits for him like — I don’t know which word to use, but everybody waits for him. You have the people who know basketball, and they understand he’s only 20 years old," Collet said to Amick." But people that like sports but (who) don’t know basketball, they think Victor is already Michael Jordan. (But) take time. Take time.”

Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley during the 1993 NBA Finals in Chicago. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

Make no mistake, the early hype is very real with Victor Wembanyama. In his rookie season, Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals on 47/33/80. Whether Wembanyama is 20 years old or a seasoned veteran, those are phenomenal numbers. However, let's just give Wembanyama a little time when comparing him to the greatest of all time.

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