Dominique Wilkins offered a unique comparison for Victor Wembanyama, linking the 7-foot-3 rookie to former No. 1 pick Ralph Sampson in a recent interview with Esports Insider.
Wilkins praised Wembanyama as a “once-in-a-lifetime type of talent” but drew a direct line to Sampson, whose full skillset was restricted by the era he played in.
“To be 7-foot-3 and to handle the basketball, shoot the 3, get to the basket, he’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of talent,” Wilkins said.
“But I’ll tell you who he is in today’s game: he’s Ralph Sampson… Ralph could shoot with range, run the floor, post up, block shots, do it all until his knees went bad. That’s who Wemby is.”
Sampson, a four-time All-Star in the 1980s, was known for his versatility before injuries cut his prime short.
Wilkins argued that the only major difference between the two is that Sampson wasn’t allowed to shoot from beyond the arc due to coaching restrictions of that time.
Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in 2023, averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks in 46 games before being shut down for the season due to deep vein thrombosis.
The 21-year-old led the league in blocks and became the youngest player ever with a 30-point, 10-block performance.
He also made history as the first NBA player to post multiple games with 20+ points, 15+ rebounds, 5+ threes, and 5+ blocks.
Wembanyama became just the third player in league history to record multiple five-by-five games, joining Hakeem Olajuwon and Andrei Kirilenko.
On Christmas Day, he joined Wilt Chamberlain and Nikola Jokic as the only players with 40+ points and 15+ rebounds in a Christmas game.
Despite the Spurs’ 34–48 record, Wembanyama’s impact as a sopomore was historic, leading to his first All-Star selection.
Wilkins, a nine-time All-Star himself, played against Sampson during the 1980s and described him as a big man ahead of his time.
