Victor Wembanyama Compared to Kevin Durant over Shaquille O’Neal in Bold Take by Former NBA Guard Amid 2026 Finals Debate

Victor Wembanyama has been at the center of every conversation since the 2026 NBA Finals began. After the Spurs lost Game 1 to the Knicks 105-95, debate over how to best use their 7-foot-4 star has intensified. Former NBA guard and current analyst Antonio Daniels has a clear answer that challenges a common view of Wembanyama’s game.

Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball against New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) in the second half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Daniels played 13 seasons in the NBA and won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999. He now works as a television color analyst for the New Orleans Pelicans and co-hosts SiriusXM NBA Radio. His familiarity with both the Spurs organization and high-stakes playoff basketball gives weight to his perspective on the current Finals debate.

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The discussion heating up right now centers on Wembanyama’s role in San Antonio’s offense. Many analysts and fans believe the Spurs are not using his7-foot-4 frame enough in traditional post situations. The Knicks held Wembanyama to 6-of-21 shooting in Game 1, and some pointed to low post-up volume as a tactical problem. Daniels sees it differently.

Daniels pushed back against the popular criticism. He compared Wembanyama to two all-time greats. “People are trying to force that on him,” Daniels said. “Wemby is a lot closer to Kevin Durant than he is to Shaquille O’Neal.”

The comparison is significant. Durant built his career as a skilled 7-footer who thrives on mid-range shots, step-backs, and movement. Wembanyama’s offensive profile mirrors that structure more than it resembles O’Neal’s brute-force, low-post dominance. Shaq overwhelmed opponents physically. Durant outkilled them. Daniels believes Wembanyama belongs in the second category.

Antonio Daniels’ Assessment of Wembanyama’s Offensive Role Makes Sense

During the 2025-26 regular season, Wembanyama averaged 25 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while shooting 3.1 three-pointers per contest. He became the first player in NBA history to average at least three blocks and three made threes per game in the same season, a combination that speaks directly to what Daniels is arguing. He is a skill-first player.

Game 1 showed what happens when Wembanyama is forced out of his natural game. The Knicks made it difficult for Wembanyama to operate in space, forcing him away from his spots and into uncomfortable situations. He finished with 26 points but turned the ball over six times and shot just 2-of-9 from three. The Spurs fell behind 1-0 in the series.

Throughout the playoffs, voices have disagreed on how the Spurs should deploy Wembanyama offensively. Gilbert Arenas publicly argued the franchise was not giving him the ball enough. Chris Bosh pushed for more paint touches in Game 7 against Oklahoma City. Theconversation about his offensive role has followed him from round to round. Daniels’ Durant comparison is the latest entry in that ongoing discussion.

The disagreement shows how difficult it is to build around a player with no true historical precedent. Wembanyama’s combination of size, shooting range, and shot-blocking is genuinely new. Coaches, analysts, and former players are each projecting a different historical template onto him. Some want O’Neal. Others see Durant. Daniels believes the answer is obvious.

With Game 2 approaching, the Spurs must find a way to unlockWembanyama against a Knicks team riding a 12-game playoff winning streak. If Daniels is right, the answer is not forcing post-ups on a player who has never thrived there. It is giving Wembanyama space to operate the way he was built — as a skilled, perimeter-oriented threat with the length to be dangerous from anywhere on the court.

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