We’ve never seen anything like Victor Wembanyama. The 20-year-old stands 7-foot-4 (many, including me, believe he’s closer to 7-foot-5). He has a gargantuan 8-foot wingspan. And, operating within this frame, he constantly creates basketball moments that we haven’t experienced before. Silicon Valley has been captivated by generative artificial intelligence — computer algorithms that generate new content based on reading existing material and creating a novel product. It’s here now, but it’s the future. That sounds a lot like Victor Wembanyama — the NBA’s first generative athlete.
The software underneath that frame may be more breathtaking. He studies the game with precision and attention to detail like an academic scholar.