In the 1990s, hoopers of all ages wanted to be like Mike, emulating the elegant aerial acrobatics of the high-flying Michael Jordan. A few decades later, people wanted to play like Stephen Curry , who enthralled audiences and frustrated defenders with his seemingly unlimited range and crafty ball-handling.
Fast-forward to today and popular broadcaster Dan Patrick discussed with Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr who could be the next player that hoopers would want to mimic, especially as the league continues to evolve.
One guy making waves around the league is San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama , a fascinating blend of size, length, skill and athleticism. Despite playing in only his third season, the Alien is undoubtedly on a path to greatness. However, Kerr posited it would prove difficult to replicate Wembanyama's game because of his unique physical attributes.
In his brief time in the NBA, Vic has become a player that hoops fans must watch because of the skill set that he displays despite being 7'4". History has shown that players who are tall are usually slow, lumbering and unable to keep up with the pace of the game. However, Wembanyama is anything but that. He moves fluidly on the court, displaying impressive ball-handling and shooting abilities for someone his size.
"If you think it would be hard to be like Michael Jordan, imagine telling your kid, 'Be like Victor Wembanyama ,'" Kerr said with a laugh. "Be taller. Just be taller. Keep eating those carrots, son."
Turning serious, Kerr described Wemby as a one-of-one; an incredible mix of physical gifts, hoop talent and most of all, an insatiable desire to become the best athlete he could be, as evidenced by the busy offseason he had last year.
"I just think he is more of a unicorn than anybody I've ever seen. Just the size and the skill, but also the awareness, the desire to be great. You can see it," Kerr stated. "You know, I've never even talked to him or met him, but you can see it, you know, just in the way he carries himself. There's so few people who are ever born to look like that."
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Kerr explained that, as the league tries to find a player it can market to everyone, he believes Curry remains the gold standard. This is because at 6'2", Curry's relatively average size makes everyone believe they can be like him. Yet at the same time, Kerr clarified how impossible it would be to play exactly like the two-time MVP because of how hard he's worked to develop what Kerr called "the greatest hand-eye coordination of anybody on earth."
"I think that's what Stephen Curry's appeal is, you know, to so many people, boys and girls. I mean, he's someone who, at least you can imagine, being like for real," the silver-haired mentor remarked.
"Now that's not really true either because he has the greatest hand-eye coordination of anybody on earth, but he's inspiring so many people, and it's really fun to watch," he stressed.
The likes of Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg may have next, but it's difficult to imagine them having the same type of magnetic appeal that Curry has, one that has many believing they can shoot and move like him.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
