Can Spurs' Victor Wembanyama Become '90 Percent Rudy Gobert' on Defense?

In the second part of a three-part series, we look into how San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama can reach his "ultimate ceiling."

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is the most highly-anticipated player to enter the NBA in 20 years and has potential that could rival him with some of basketball's greats.

"If [Wembanyama] reaches his ultimate ceiling — which could be something like 90 percent of Rudy Gobert on defense and 80-85 percent of Kevin Durant on offense — he'll go down as an all-time great," Bleacher Report writes. "That outcome isn't guaranteed, and there may be a longer adjustment period than some expect, but on upside alone, Wembanyama is one of the best prospects ever."

Step two of Wembanyama's lofty goal of reaching his "ultimate ceiling" comes on the side of the ball that has already made him a fan-favorite in NBA2K24: blocks.

Playing with Wembanyama on 2k is so much fun this really a cheat code😂 pic.twitter.com/IYfNdVe26D

— Bryson Wright (@BrysonWright3) September 13, 2023

Being "90 percent" Rudy Gobert is a high bar, especially considering that he is three-time Defensive Player of the Year. His height and down-low defense put him among the league's top shot blockers, though just the fact that Wembanyama is already being compared to a veteran defender again — says a lot.

San Antonio Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) shoots past Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the game at the Moody Center on Saturday, April 8, 2023 in Austin / Austin American-Statesman-USA TODAY NETWORK

The thing that sets the rookie apart, however, is that shot blocking wouldn't be his only positive, but rather just a piece of his true potential.

Either way, in order for Wembanyama to be as impactful as possible, he'll need to hone in on his defensive skillset. During summer league, the 19-year-old registered eight total blocks across two games and showed his worth on the defensive end, which is a promising sign for his regular-season debut.

But if Wembanyama really wants to perform at his highest potential, he'll need to get blocks and apply constant pressure on playmakers down low — and standing upright will get him a long way, especially considering his 7-4 frame.