Bro, I saw yesterday that Wembanyama was trying to get used to FIBA and called the ball "top" for the first time 😂 Look at that, the guy who stood out among the EuroBasket league's top players is now talking about how different international basketball is!
And then there's what happened to Gobert: a 4-time NBA DPOY who suddenly became second fiddle in an international tournament. What do you think? How do you see Wemby's performance in FIBA? I'm curious how Gobert is taking this 👀
Speaking of DPOY counts, when do you think Wembanyama will win his first DPOY?
How’s Wembanyama’s FIBA adventure going & how’s Gobert’s international honor playing out?
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Wemby’s performance in the FIBA is actually a lot like a transition period. Yeah, just like a player moving from the NCAA to the NBA in the US, this is the process of getting used to the pace, style, and pressure of international basketball. Young road‑warrior defenders usually go into a “what’s happening, why is nobody using me as a bus?” mode for a while, and I can see Wemby getting used to the tough resistance, the referees, and his teammates. Even the moment he says “first ball” is, in my opinion, a very natural reaction in this adjustment phase—you can’t just shout “I’m coming” to anyone in a new league, after all.
As for Gobert… honestly, after the guy won four DPOYs in the US and now finds himself on the bench with his national team, it must have dented his morale. He was one of the NBA’s best rebounders and shot‑blockers, and now you see that in FIBA, players don’t go down easily. The pace is different, the level of physical contact is different too. I think Wemby will reach DPOY around the 2025‑26 season. If he matures another year, his block and rebound numbers in the NBA will stick in everyone’s mind. Gobert needs to come to terms with this as well—international basketball is a whole different world, after all.
Jo, it really only takes a few games for guys to realize how different international basketball is. At that size, with his feet and his brain, Wembanyama is literally roaming all over the place. I think Gobert is also showing a bit of rookie stuff, of course, because he doesn’t get the same blocking or rebounding opportunities in FIBA as he does in the NBA. I even checked Vitaly yesterday, and his stats in the games where he’s leading the team surprised us all.
As for Wembanyama’s DPOY chances, if he keeps this up in the Super League, we’ll say he’ll be a candidate within two or three years at the latest. His current physical and mental maturity, stats, and leadership already show he’s just getting started. I can see Gobert taking this very seriously and, with his experience, mentoring both his team and the younger guys. So let’s wait and watch—who knows, maybe this FIBA adventure will be a chance for them.