Many big men throughout NBA history have struggled to play a long and productive career in the league. For example, the 7-foot-6 Yao Ming played only eight seasons for the Houston Rockets before injuries forced him to retire. The same thing happened to Ralph Sampson. Now, ex-Golden State Warriors big man Paul Mokeski issued a similar height warning to the San Antonio Spurs' rising star Victor Wembanyama.
“It takes its toll,” Mokeski said about Wembanyama's height, via a report from Dusty Garza for NBC's News 4 San Antonio. “The human body is not made to be so tall. From Darryl Dawkins and Moses Malone to Earl Cureton, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jack Haley, they all died from heart-related problems.”
Should the Spurs be concerned about Victor Wembanyama's height?
Mokeski also continued, “This is what happens with tall players like me who played in the NBA. We notice the former tall players who have passed away and how they died. Yes, it is a concern.”
Dawkins, Malone, and Chamberlain all died from heart issues at relatively early ages, but that's probably not as big a concern for Wembanyama, who has access to the advanced medical tools and techniques of the modern NBA.
Mokeski, who played one game with the Warriors in his 12-year NBA career, seemed to agree.
“When you look at his training, he has taken it to the extreme,” he said. “Yoga, stretching, and all that. We didn't do those things. I wish we had. We did 15 jumping jacks and said, ‘Let's play!'”
Yao Ming and Ralph Sampson also saw their careers end earlier than expected because of injuries, but the modern NBA has advanced enough medically that players can return to playing at a high level after career-ending injuries.
Related San Antonio Spurs NewsArticle continues below
For example, the seven-foot Kevin Durant tore his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals, an injury many people once thought was career-ending. It had effectively ended Kobe Bryant's career in 2013. But, not only did Durant manage to return to the court, but he also returned to his All-Star self.
Meanwhile, another ex-Warrior, Klay Thompson, tore his ACL and Achilles in 2019 and 2020, but he managed to recover and return to the court. The injuries robbed him of his ability to guard the opponent's best player, but he can still shoot the lights out on any given night.
Outlook
Still, the Spurs would do well to listen to Paul Mokeski and take extra care of Victor Wembanyama if they want him to be their next David Robinson or Tim Duncan. Their first step was signing Chris Paul, who could definitely teach the generational prospect how to extend his career despite possible injuries.
