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‘The Spurs ain’t close, young fella’: Charles Barkley pours cold water on 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama’s title hopes in San Antonio ahead of 2023 Draft: ‘They’re probably gonna be the third-best team just in Texas!’
Charles Barkley has poured cold water on Victor Wembanyama’s aspirations to win a ring in San Antonio, with the NBA legend claiming the Spurs ‘ain’t close to winning a championship’, let alone make the playoffs next season.
Ahead of this year’s draft in June, ‘Wemby’ revealed that his goal is to try to win a title as soon as possible after the No. 1 overall pick was designated for the Spurs at the lottery draft.
What’s more is that expectations surrounding the seven-foot-three phenom have gone through the roof, with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski calling the Frenchman the ‘greatest prospect in the history of team sports.’
However, Barkley – a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and TNT pundit – refuted the hype around the 19-year-old, who he says has to prove himself all over again after dominating overseas. San Antonio sold over 2,500 season tickets hours sealing the first overall pick of this year’s draft, thus becoming Wemby’s most likely destination.
‘This notion that just because you have all this hype and you’ve been kicking a** in France all these years,’ said ‘Chuck’ on Sirius XM’s NBA Radio. ‘That don’t mean nothing when you step on the court next year.’
¿The Spurs aren¿t close to winning a championship, Young Fella!¿
Charles Barkley talks about the challenges Wembanyama will face in the NBA. pic.twitter.com/shwubzgMMc
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) May 20, 2023
Charles Barkley has claimed that 7-ft-3 phenom Victor Wembanyama will need to adapt to NBA
Barkley, an 11-time NBA All-Star, an 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and the 1993 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), then responded to Wembanyama’s claim that he ‘couldn’t wait to win a title’ after the draft lottery on May 16.
‘The Spurs ain’t close to winning a championship, young fella!’ said the former 76ers, Suns and Rockets forward.
‘Y’all probably ain’t gonna make the playoffs next year!’
The Spurs’ last No. 1 overall draft pick was Tim Duncan who won five rings with San Antonio
The Spurs are coming off their worst season by winning percentage since 1997 – a 22-60 overall record, finishing bottom of the Western Conference standings.
A little less than 26 years ago, the last time San Antonio ended up in last in the West, the team drafted center Tim Duncan No. 1 out of Wake Forest.
And together, ‘the Big Fundamental’ and the Spurs have brought back five NBA rings to the Spurs. Duncan is now serving as an assistant coach on the team.
Despite fans being confident that head coach Gregg Popovich is going to shape Wembanyama into an All-Star, Barkley stressed that the Spurs have a lot to get right before being labelled as competitors, or even favorites, to win a ring.
‘They’re probably gonna be the third-best team in Texas!’ Barkley added. ‘Just in Texas!’
