NBA Legend Reggie Miller says Victor Wembanyama has Similar Aura to Stephen Curry

For most generational prospects, the comparisons are predictable. The tallest stars get measured against dominant big men, while elite scorers draw parallels to offensive legends who came before them. Victor Wembanyama has already heard plenty of those comparisons during the first stages of his NBA career. Yet one Hall of Famer saw something entirely different.

Rather than pointing to another towering superstar, Reggie Miller compared Wembanyama to a player who transformed basketball from the perimeter. The NBA legend believes the Spurs phenom carries the same kind of presence that once made Stephen Curry impossible to ignore - a comparison few would expect for a 7-foot-4 center.

“You just got a sense that there was greatness on the horizon," Reggie said about Curry. "You couldn’t see it, but you could sense it. And I sensed it in him because his conviction was so strong. Fast forward to today, he’s the greatest shooter of our game and the records that he holds. But I could sense it then very much in the way I’m sensing it with Victor now.”

For Miller, the comparison had little to do with playstyle and everything to do with presence. Curry changed the sport because defenders, fans, and even scouts could feel his impact before the numbers completely caught up. Wembanyama now carries a similar aura around the league - the feeling that the NBA is adjusting itself around a talent unlike anything seen before.

Miller did not necessarily compare their skill sets. After all, it would be an unfair comparison. Curry can serve as the primary ball-handler of his squad. He could razzle and dazzle opposing defenses with smooth handles, then he could either attack the hoop, dish it to a teammate, or laze the ball from even beyond 30 feet.

Aside from that, he also generates gravity away from the ball. Defenses already have to pay attention to him due to how deadly of a catch-and-shoot threat he is. He further complicates that for his opponents by running around through screens, around defenders, from one sideline to another, just to get an open look.

Wemby, as a big man, plays better when he's attacking the post. He's displayed shades of being effective from anywhere else on the court, but he isn't a Curry-level threat. At least, not yet.

He was not comparing their skill sets or play styles. Instead, he was talking about the vibe they give off.

Wemby's career trajectory might not see him compared to Curry at all. However, the French big man looks like he has some shades of the game's greatest shooter in him.

Victor Wembanyama Is Currently on Pace to Match Stephen Curry’s Three-Point Record

The 3-point revolution brought about by Stephen Curry has infected more than just the guards. Nowadays, in order to be considered effective offensively, all players from one though five has to be able to stretch the floor.

While 3-point shooting is not his main strength, Wemby certainly got the memo. Just like other modern stars, he has worked on becoming a threat from deep range.

That is partly why Miller's comparison feels so fascinating. Curry's greatness was never just about the volume of shots he made - it was about how quickly defenses started warping around him. Wembanyama is beginning to create a similar reaction. Opponents already treat his perimeter game like a real threat despite him still being years away from his offensive prime.

Interestingly, the 3-pointer seems to be a bigger part of his game even when compared to other floor-spacing bigs. How much, you might wonder? Well, one might be amazed that he has outpaced Curry in 3-pointers made in his first three seasons in the league.

In Curry's first year in the NBA, he drained 166 threes. In Wemby's rookie season, he hit 128. Then, in their respective sophomore years, Curry sank 151 while Wemby hit 142.

This past regular season, Wemby added another 122 to his career totals. In Curry's third season in the league, he only played 26 games. In those 26 games, he hit only 55 threes.

If Curry had not been injured in year three, he certainly would have sank more. But he was sidelined for most of that season, so his totals after three seasons were 372 made shots from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Wembanyama, in his three seasons so far, has already sunk 392. So yes, in his first three years, Wemby sank more 3-pointers than Curry did.

It's hard to say whether the French star will be right up there with Curry in 3-pointers made when it's all said and done. Curry definitely increased the volume of his made 3s, especially during his prime, even finishing a season with 402 made in 2015-16.

Wemby's game will likely develop differently. The 3-pointer will still be a weapon for him as he matures, but he likely won't have multiple seasons with over 300 made threes like Curry had.

Still, at this stage, it's fun to imagine how unguardable Victor Wembanyama could become if he started launching and making 3-pointers at the same rate as Stephen Curry.