NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
NBA icon and former EuroLeague champion Dominique Wilkins referenced fellow Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Ralph Sampson while discussing the remarkable skill set of French sensation Victor Wembanyama.
“Standing at 7-foot-3, with the ability to handle the ball, shoot from long range, and drive to the hoop, he’s an extraordinary talent that comes around once in a generation,” Wilkins remarked in a recent interview with Esports Insider. “In the modern game, he resembles Ralph Sampson. Ralph possessed a similar array of skills, but during his time, coaches didn’t permit big men to take three-point shots. Sampson was capable of shooting from distance, running the court, posting up, and blocking shots until his knees gave out. Wemby is essentially the present-day version of Ralph Sampson.”
Wilkins, known as the Human Highlight Film, also explored international opportunities, extending his playing career beyond the NBA to Europe, where he spent the 1995-96 season with Panathinaikos and played for Teamsystem Bologna in the 1997-98 season. Meanwhile, in 1992, Sampson had a stint in Spain with Unicaja Ronda before retiring from professional basketball.
When asked about Luka Doncic, particularly regarding the shocking midseason move that saw the Slovenian star traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, Wilkins expressed his surprise: “Like everyone else around the globe, I was taken aback. Luka is just 25 and among the top five or six players in the league. To trade someone of his caliber? That’s hard to wrap your head around. It caught everyone off guard, and there might be factors at play that we are unaware of. But regardless of where he ends up, that team will have a real opportunity.”
Stay updated with the latest news.
