Can Victor Wembanyama be the true face of the NBA as a European? | Bobby Burack

The NBA, meanwhile, has struggled to turn its best current players into true mainstream cultural attractions, whether it be Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Anthony Edwards.

The league may have finally found its answer.

On Monday night, Victor Wembanyama showcased his audition as the best player in basketball at just 22-years-old. He led the Spurs to an upset Game 1 victory over the defending champion Thunder with a historic 41-point, 24-rebound performance. Defensively, he completely warped the game with his length, timing, and shot-blocking instincts.

At 7-foot-4, Wembanyama is perhaps best described as Wilt Chamberlain meeting Bill Russell, except with a jump shot. He can score in the paint and from 28 feet away.

No, seriously:

It is hardly hyperbolic to say Wembanyama is still an unfinished product with the talent to become one of the more dominant players in basketball history. No player has ever looked like this or played this way, statements previously reserved only for the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James.

The question is whether he can eventually reach that same level of stardom as James and Shaq on and off the court.

National identity matters especially in the NBA, where superstardom is driven as much by commercials, social media influence and cultural relevance as it is by on-court production.

Sports media reporter Ryan Glasspiegel observed after Game 2 that "Wemby is going to test the two obstacles for NBA superstardom at once: whether America can actually get behind a foreigner and a behemoth."

I think the answer is yes.

For one, Wembanyama is Black.

Jokic and Doncic did not just have to overcome resistance toward European players. They also faced an undeniable racial component in how they were discussed and perceived. That is not conjecture.

Naturally, the racialization of Jokic and Doncic, and Dirk Nowitzki before them, has influenced how portions of the NBA audience, particularly within the league's sizable African American fan base, perceive those players.

As a Black player, Wembanyama won't have to deal with the same level of racism from fans, players and analysts as Jokic. Therefore, the conversation surrounding him should be less divisive from the outset.

He also plays a significantly more electrifying brand of basketball than most international stars. Jokic and Doncic rely more on skill, pace and intellect than overwhelming athleticism or raw physical dominance. Wembanyama's game is visually intoxicating, from his engulfing blocks to offensive moves that pay homage to legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Put simply, Wembanyama is built for the SportsCenter Top 10, assuming that still exists.

Further, he appears to have a genuine edge to him on the court. He clearly took it personally having to defend Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Monday night. He outplayed both of them.

However, he does need to stay out of political crosshairs.

Earlier this year, Wembanyama spoke out against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"PR has tried, but I'm not going to sit here and give some politically correct [answer]," he told reporters in January. "Every day I wake up and see the news, and I'm horrified. I think it's crazy that some people might make it seem like or sound like the murder of civilians is acceptable."

Notably, there is no evidence that ICE has "murdered" civilians, which carries a specific legal definition.

For the sake of both the NBA and his own stardom, Wembanyama would be wise to stick to sports and avoid unnecessarily cutting his potential fan base in half.

If he does, he has the potential to become exactly what the NBA has spent years searching for: its next true face of the league.