NBA fans can’t help but wonder if LeBron James’ successor has been crowned

LeBron James held the title of best player in the world for more than a decade before that crown was rightfully placed on the head of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić around 2020. But now, NBA fans everywhere are coming to terms with a new alpha in the NBA, a player who is more physically freakish than LeBron and in possession of skills that even make Jokić nod his head in approval.

That rare package of genetic superiority, basketball instincts, and competitive fire was on full display on Monday, as San Antonio Spurs center/alien Victor Wembanyama put on a performance for the ages in a double-overtime victory over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on their home floor.

Finishing with 41 points and 24 rebounds, Wembanyama made it obvious that he was the best player on the floor, which is saying something because Wemby was sharing the hardwood with back-to-back league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

It was a statement performance from Wemby that had to be related to Shai's MVP announcement this week. Indeed, Wembanyama admitted after the game that his own MVP snub has served as motivation against the Thunder.

And a motivated Victor Wembanyama might be the most unstoppable player in the world right now. He certainly looked like it on Monday night. At just 22 years old, Wemby has the look of an athlete who is poised to dominate the NBA for the next decade-plus (health-provided), which is precisely what LeBron looked like at the same age 20 years ago.

Victor Wembanyama is the best player in the NBA moving forward

If Wemby is healthy and on the court, he gives his team a chance to win, regardless of who his teammates are. That's also something that could have been said about a young LeBron. The Spurs, meanwhile, are eons better than those early Cavs teams (one of which LeBron took to the Finals against the ... Spurs) because they feature a ton of top-end talent at the guard position to complement Wembanyama. Both Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are franchise-player-type guards. Harper displayed extraordinary poise on Monday night.

But back to Wembanyama. Only LeBron and Shaquille O'Neal have exerted such physical dominance on the NBA this century that can be compared to type of impact that Wemby brings to the table ... and Wemby might be rarer than both of those guys. You have to go back to Wilt Chamberlain to find a similar example pre-Shaq, and the list might stop there within the entire history of the sport.

There's absolutely no reason to believe that Wemby (once again, health-pending) isn't the next torch-bearer as the NBA's best player. The only question now is how long Wemby's dominance will last.

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