Even though the 2022-23 NBA season is in full swing, the spotlight for potential incoming professional basketball players has been brighter than ever with Victor Wembanyama being the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Wembanyama, who plays professional basketball in France for the Metropolitans, has arguably received as much attention as Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James did when he was in high school. Even James has taken notice of the 18-year-old prodigy, stating that he believes Wembanyama is a generational type talent and an “alien.”
Like many young basketball players, they all learned their play style and mentality from someone. In an interview with EuroHoops.net, Wembanyama credits NBA Hall of Famer and Lakers legend Kobe Bryant for being a true-north when it comes to dealing with challenges. He also explained how he is a fan of Bryant and uses him as inspiration:
“I think about him almost every day since his death. His disappearance shocked me. I admire his spirit, work ethic, and game philosophy… Following his example every day, I try to push my limits. When I suffer, when I have doubts, I often wonder what Kobe would have done. And I know I would have done more,” Wembanyama said.
The impact that Bryant made on the younger generations of professional athletes has been on notice with numerous athletes across all sports praising his famous philosophy – the Mamba Mentality.
Though Wembanyama still has a ways to go before potentially walking across the NBA Draft stage, the French prodigy seems to be mature and on the right path by looking up to one of the most mentally tough athletes of all time in Bryabt.
Lakers ‘covet’ Wizards star Bradley Beal
It might be every Lakers fan’s dream of pairing James and Anthony Davis with another All-Star who can consistently hit perimeter shots. While the free-agent and trade market looks dim, that does not stop the Lakers from coveting this 10-year NBA veteran guard.
In a recent report, the Lakers appear to covet Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal.
The path for L.A to acquire Beal may be a fantasy because of Beal’s reluctance to request a trade. However, while the Lakers may continue to hope for this dream scenario, there is a lot of work to do with this current roster before adding another star to the 2022-23 melting pot.
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