Victor Wembanyama Could Become NBA’s First-Ever Billionaire, But There’s a Catch

Just like King James shook up the NBA scene with his debut, the French prodigy, Victor Wembanyama has made a similar sort of buzz by entering the NBA. At the mere age of 19, the rookie got drafted into the NBA and was the first draft pick for the San Antonio Spurs. In his rookie year itself, the 7’4 athlete earned a contract of $55.2 million, which is the largest deal an athlete can receive as per the US league’s labor agreement. So, looking at his earnings currently, if the athlete manages to stay healthy, he might be on course to become a billionaire.

However, how is that possible, and what are the criteria Wemby needs to meet to amass such exorbitant amounts of money?

Is Wemby on track to being the first billionaire?

Victor Wembanyama’s debut has been a spectacle that all the NBA fans have been waiting to witness. A player who hails from a suburb in Paris managed to excite a global audience with his mere presence. This demonstrates the mass appeal Wemby possesses and why he earned such a massive contract. And looking at his current contract, if he can live up to this hype and continue to shine with his performances, by the age of 33, he could gain a billion dollars just by playing on the hardwood.

“Unbelievable”: Giannis Antetokounmpo Awestruck by Victor Wembanyama after First Clash

After his 4-year rookie deal ends, he can earn a max extension deal that would pay him a sum of $316 million. Further, if he hits his peak and continues to play at that level, another supermax contract worth approximately $529 million could be his next step. Just with these contracts, his earnings cross $900 million. After that, a second supermax contract would earn him a billion dollars in his first year. However, there is a catch!

The French prodigy can ONLY earn all these contracts if he manages to achieve MVP, All-NBA, or Defensive Player of the Year in his first three seasons. So if he performs exceptionally well, Wembanyama has the potential to make a billion dollars without any endorsements and only through his basketball contracts. Very few players in sports history have earned such numbers through their sporting contracts like Cristiano Ronaldo and Shohei Ohtani.

 

In the NBA, LeBron James is a billionaire and has the largest-paying contract in the league at the moment. But due to his endorsements with Nike, and his entertainment firm SpringHill Company, he has achieved the billion-dollar mark. So, the 20-year-old rookie has a chance to create history. However, has he been performing at the level in the league so far?

Victor Wembanyama’s NBA career so far

The first-overall draft pick managed to score 15 points, 2 assists, and grabbed 5 rebounds. But despite his maximum efforts, the San Antonio Spurs suffered a loss against the Denver Nuggets on their opening night. Wembanyama is trying to support his team in every way possible by averaging 19.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

However, the Loner Star State is on a massive decline and is last on their table with an embarrassing record of just 5 wins and 29 losses. This season the franchise created history by making a record of losing 18 games in a row. So, as the club is on a downfall, currently fans and analysts are focusing on the performance of Victor Wembanyama to see if he can revive his team from the dead.