Inside The Spurs

NBA Legend Makes Controversial Victor Wembanyama Statement

Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway Sr. had an outlandish take on San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama

Matt Guzman

Oct 9, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) looks up in the first half against the Orlando Magic at Frost Bank Center.
Oct 9, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) looks up in the first half against the Orlando Magic at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
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At this point, the argument is ostentatious.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has long tossed around the idea that San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama's skill set isn't so special, specifically in regards to a six-year player who's been in the league for four extra seasons.

Now, he's got company.

On FanDuel's "Run It Back," NBA legend Tim Hardaway Sr. offered his two cents on the differences between Wembanyama and Phoenix Suns center Bol Bol.

"Bol Bol has the same abilities as Victor Wembanyama," Hardaway said. "I think that Bol Bol hasn't (gone) out there and showed it ... but I see the same athletic ability."

Through six seasons, Bol is averaging 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in only 13.9 minutes per game. He spent three seasons with the Denver Nuggets before heading to Orlando for one season en route to Phoenix, where he's begun to flourish as an impact player.

To Hardaway's point, Bol's frame waters down the surprise that Wembanyama brought to the league when he first arrived in 2023, but what sets the pair apart are their roles. Bol is a backup center who has shown flashes of strong offensive prowess, while Wembanyama is an undeniable first option.

Phoenix Suns center Bol Bol (11)
Feb 25, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Phoenix Suns center Bol Bol (11) shoots for three during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Does that discredit Bol's talent? Not in the slightest.

The same can't be said about Hardaway's argument.

"I don't know if it's confidence," he began, "but I'm always in Bol Bol's corner. I see the potential in him and what he can do."

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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