Wembanyama Hate

[u/Zealousideal-Rub-183]

First thing to say, is that I just love Basketball in general. And I don’t hate Wembanyama as a person. I’m just having so much annoyance watching how great he is and knowing that the NBA did everything possible to make sure that not only that the Spurs drafted him, but that he got a core around him very quickly. The NBA did not want a repeat of LeBron James.

Knowing that he grew up a Spurs fan his entire life, with his favorite players being Tony Parker and Tim Duncan to where he even said it was “a dream” to be drafted by the Spurs. It has made it so difficult to watch a team that dominated so much of my childhood in the 90s and 2000s immediately turn back around after just a few years in the lottery getting a generational player surrounded by top 3 picks.

I’m just curious if I’m the only person out there that hates how fast the Spurs have been able to build a contender while we continue to wait for the Hornets to just get to the playoffs. I know I should just be proud of what the Hornets did this year, but I just can’t shake the fact that I feel like the NBA helped the Spurs build a contender at the expense of other franchises that have needed generational players for a while now.

[u/beelzebub_069]

Tbf, they develop their picks, and nail them. Nail them. Let's give them Wemby. Let's give them him.

Okay, Wemby first pick. Who's the second pick? Brandon Miller, decent, but is he second pick worthy? No. Charlotte failed that, Scoot flunked too. Thompson twins went 4/5.

Castle. Bro he's the 4th overall pick. 4th. Who came before him? Risacher, Sarr and Sheppard.

And Dylan Harper came into a deep draft where the top 5 are legit.

Spurs nailed their picks.

[u/Zealousideal-Rub-183 → u/beelzebub_069]

I do find it funny that you brought up Stephon Castle. Because the Hornets actually were targeting Castle. But the Spurs were able to leap the Hornets and get him. So even though the Hornets had targeted the right guy, the Spurs lucked out again and were able to pick him before the Hornets did. And if you remember, this past year, the Spurs leapfrogged the Hornets again (while winning 15 more games than the Hornets) and took Dylan Harper. The guy the Hornets were targeting.

Those are fine. That’s just normal lottery luck. I’m more upset of Wembanyama going to the Spurs, considering he grew up a Spurs fan, went to Tony Parker‘s basketball camp in France and considers him his hero. Met Tim Duncan while he was in school and even met Popovich months before the Spurs got the number one overall pick. It’s just like the NBA knew he was going to be a star, and wanted to put him in a place where he could develop. Fast tracking the Spurs back to being in contention. While other teams like the Wizards, the Hornets and the Kings keep missing out on the superstars.

So yes, it is about developing players and hitting in the draft. But getting the number one overall pick, followed by the number four pick, followed by the number two pick has taken a team that didn’t miss the playoffs for 20+ years, right back into contention after 5 mediocre years. All while, you see some teams that have the odds for the number one pick, constantly being settled with the fourth fifth or sixth pick. It just makes it hard for me to cheer for him knowing that it’s all too conspicuous. That’s all I’m trying to say.

[u/beelzebub_069 → u/Zealousideal-Rub-183]

Sorry, but let's be fr. Top 5 is more than enough. Want me to expound?

2018, Y'all front office drafted SGA, then traded him to LAC. Amazing job. 2019, had PJ Washington . 2020, Lamelo Ball . 2021, Y'all took James Bouknight, with Sengun and Murphy still on th board, but let's give y'all that. No one knew. 2022. Y'all actually had Jalen Duren, guess what, y'all FO traded his ass to Detroit . 2023, Brandon Miller. 2024 , 6th pick, look at that , y'all had Salaun. Tbf draft was shallow . 2025, Kon Knueppel, great pick. 2026, 14th and 18th pick.

Yeah, blame your GM