Victor Wembanyama is seen as a generational prospect. How did ...

When the San Antonio Spurs won the NBA lottery in May, earning the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, there wasn’t much speculation over who they would select. France center Victor Wembanyama is the no-brainer top pick and a generational prospect who is predicted to transform whichever franchise he joins, a rare combination in sports.

In February, scouts said that passing on Wembanyama in the draft would be a fireable offense. LeBron James called Wembanyama "an alien" and "generational talent." Kevin Durant said the NBA is "really in trouble" when the 7-foot-4 center joins the league. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski proclaimed Wembanyama as the greatest prospect in sports.

As generational as Wembanyama might be, there have been other highly touted prospects who have entered the NBA. Some lived up to the hype, rising to the occasion for memorable careers. Others, well, not so much.

Here’s how some of the most anticipated NBA prospects fared in the league.

Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1969, Abdul-Jabbar entered the NBA with an unmatched basketball résumé.

He led Power Memorial Academy to a 71-game winning streak, 79-2 record and three straight New York City Catholic championships. At UCLA, Abdul-Jabbar won three straight national championships with a record of 88-2. Since freshmen were ineligible to play varsity, Abdul-Jabbar made his varsity debut as a sophomore, scoring 56 points in his first game.

It was much of the same in the NBA, where Abdul-Jabbar averaged 28.8 points and 14.5 rebounds per game in his rookie season, winning rookie of the year. Over a 20-year NBA career, he was named an All-Star 19 times and to the All-NBA team 15 times, and won six NBA championships and six MVP awards. He also held the NBA’s all-time scoring record for almost 40 years until LeBron James passed him this year.

His achievements put him in the conversation for the greatest basketball player of all-time, living up to all the hype that surrounded Abdul-Jabbar as he entered the league.

Gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline "The Chosen One" is enough pressure for any athlete, let alone a 17-year-old. But it’s what came to LeBron James as he took the basketball world by storm at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.

Jay Bilas called him the best 17-year-old prospect he’s seen in 20 years. ESPN capitalized on that hype when it broadcasted one of James’ high school games in 2002, the first regular-season high school game to be televised on ESPN since 1989.

The hype followed James everywhere, and if the pressure wasn’t already enough, his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him No. 1 overall in 2003. He averaged 20.9 points per game in his first season, winning rookie of the year honors, the first of many accomplishments in the league.

Since then, James has made 19 straight All-Star appearances, won four championships and four MVP awards, and became the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. Similar to Abdul-Jabbar, James entered into the GOAT conversation.

While at Spartanburg (South Carolina) Day School, Williamson’s freak athleticism and powering dunks made him one of the most exciting high school players. He was one of the first prospects to earn major hype through highlights spreading on social media.

Williamson committed to Duke in 2018 and played one season with the Blue Devils. At Duke, he was the national player of the year, the second freshman to ever do so, and became the fourth Duke player ever to sweep the six major national player of the year awards.

The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Williamson with the No. 1 pick in 2019. Williamson has been hampered with injuries during his four NBA seasons. He’s played in more than 30 games just once (2020-21), a season where he averaged 27 points per game on 61% shooting. When he’s on the court, it’s no secret that Williamson is among the best in the league. But his lack of availability has led to trade rumors swirling around Williamson this offseason. The jury is still out on whether he’s lived up to the hype.

Before his face was all over TNT’s "Inside the NBA" and countless commercials on TV, Shaquille O’Neal was just a kid who came back to the states from Germany. O’Neal made up for lost time in the U.S. by growing to 6-foot-10 at the age of 16 and dominating at Cole High School in San Antonio, Texas. In his final two high school seasons, he led Cole to a 68-1 combined record and Texas state championship as a senior.

O’Neal then went to Louisiana State University where his celebrity status exploded behind monstrous finishes and a fun personality. He was named consensus All-American twice and player of the year for the 1990-91 season, when he averaged 27.6 points, 14.7 rebounds and five blocks per game. He declared for the draft in 1992 and was selected No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic.

The hype followed O’Neal into the NBA and he immediately proved it true. He won the rookie of the year and was an All-Star, one of seven rookies since 1985 to earn both honors. O’Neal was a 15-time All-Star, won four NBA championships, three NBA Finals MVPs and one regular-season MVP award. He’s etched himself as one of the greatest big men of all time.

The first-ever NBA draft lottery gifted the New York Knicks with Patrick Ewing, a moment so huge that a Sports Illustrated cover read: “Jackpot! The Knicks Win Patrick Ewing.” The Knicks hadn’t made their pick yet, but then director of basketball operations Dave DeBusschere put any skepticism to rest when he pulled out an already made Knicks Ewing jersey when they won the lottery.

Ewing’s illustrious Georgetown career made him one of the most hyped-up NBA prospects. He was All-Big-East all four years, NCAA All-Final-Four three times, Big East player of the year twice and the 1984-85 player of the year. He also won a national championship in 1984.

He was deemed the savior of Knicks basketball when drafted No. 1. Ewing led the Knicks to two of their most recent NBA Finals appearances. Similar to other highly rated prospects, he also earned rookie of the year honors. The Hall of Famer made the All-Star team 11 times and the All-NBA team seven times, but came up short of winning a championship. He is regarded as one of the greatest Knicks of all time.

If this list tells you one thing, it’s that some of the most highly touted prospects have been big men who have lived up to the hype. Greg Oden was seen as the next in line to do so. He had a high school record of 103-7 across four years, won three consecutive state titles and was named Gatorade national player of the year twice. Steve Kerr called him a once-in-a-decade player.

Oden committed to Ohio State where success followed. He averaged 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks, leading Ohio State to the national championship game. He was a consensus All-American and All-Big Ten, then declared for the NBA draft after one season. The Portland Trail Blazers selected Oden with the No. 1 pick in 2007. Injuries, though, never let Oden show his true potential.

He had microfracture surgery on his right knee forcing him to miss his entire rookie season. He played 61 games in his second year in the NBA, but fractured his left patella 21 games into the next season. Oden missed the next three seasons and the Blazers waived him in 2012 after multiple injury setbacks. He signed a one-year deal with the Miami Heat in 2013 and appeared in 23 games. Oden retired in 2016 after just 105 total NBA games.

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