Victor Wembanyama is ready to take the NBA by storm. The number one overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs last month debuted a couple of weeks ago in the Summer League. The hype around this young man has been almost as large as his 7’4” frame and 8’ wingspan. Whether he’ll live up to it or not, remains to be seen. Phenoms as they are called have come and gone in sports over the years, but it’s hard not to grab on and try to ride the wave while we can. It usually is a fun ride, win, lose or bust.
17,500 fans attended Wembanyama’s first game in Las Vegas. That isn’t normal for Summer League games in the NBA. The media coverage has built the young center into somewhat of a legend, even before his first official NBA game. It’s only natural that those in our industry grab on to a story and continue to hammer it home. Why? Because there is huge interest in these players. The coverage of the drafts in each league has gotten to the point where fans become aware of potential picks when they are in their mid-teens. Remember when ESPN televised a high school game featuring LeBron James? That’s what I’m talking about.
Here in Chicago, the Connor Bedard hype machine has been churning ever since the Blackhawks landed the number one overall pick in the draft. People were trying to make jerseys online with his number 98 on it, but he hadn’t even been officially selected yet. While the buildup may be on a lesser scale, it is still there. All the sensationalism puts pressure on the team, the player himself and the local announce teams that will cover the phenom.
Elly De La Cruz debuted with the Cincinnati Reds and immediately attendance and interest in the team increased. The youngster energized the fan base and the city. That ratchets up the audience for your radio or television broadcasts as well.
The Reds’ TV broadcasters more often than not, did the right thing, by allowing the pictures and sounds tell the story. They didn’t have to speak to let me know how important this kid is to the team. People want to know what De La Cruz did that day, how it compares with other rookies at this point of his career and so on. It puts you, the announcer, more in the spotlight as well, and it’s important to handle that well.
Buying into the hype when the season starts is ok to me. After all, if you are the team’s play-by-play voice, a lot of your job is to help the franchise pump up the team and sell some tickets. Nothing wrong with that. You just have to be careful how far you go at certain points.
As the broadcaster, you don’t want to over-sell some of the attributes of this rookie, because if he becomes a bust how does that make you look? There’s a responsibility on your part to be accurate in the assessment of the good and bad of the player. In the case of most rookies, there will be a learning curve. To jump out after one game and declare him the best of all time is irresponsible. What do you do when you watch him struggle in the next game?
We all can get swept up in the euphoria. Especially if your team has struggled over the last few years. That’s why the team is picking so high in the draft and the air of excitement begins. Fans and front offices alike are picturing the team hoisting the championship trophy. The latter is probably more realistic about the timeline than the former, but those feelings build up. Announcers are not immune to the buy in and the excitement of getting to watch and call the much-hyped rookie’s games. Realism has to be your wingman because more than likely it’s going to be an up and down season for the team and the player.
In preparing for the upcoming season, the team announcers are surely trying to get to know the rookie. It’s so tough early because of all the media obligations that number one pick will have from the national outlets and publications.
You though, have a real chance to tell stories that not many get to tell. Let the fans in on what this phenom is like off the court. Feature his personality so the fans can get to know him. How good a teammate has he become? Is he involved in charitable work? While the big outlets often get just the surface stories, you will have access to the player for the deeper stories. Chances are pretty good that the player will feel more comfortable around you than the other media folks. He will see you around all the time, on the plane and on the road.
It’s also very important to remember, to not focus ALL of your attention on the brand-new acquisition. While the fans may think it’s all about the one player, you know better. Continue to prep as you normally would for other new acquisitions and the remaining players on the roster. To ignore them in ramping up for the season would be a mistake. There are other interesting stories out there, that may get overlooked due to the arrival of the phenom. Don’t let that happen, you owe it to your audience to keep those players in mind. It is a long season and there isn’t going to be just one star in every game this year.
Generational players don’t come along every day. Make sure you enjoy every moment of that phenom’s career it is going to go fast. Players say that’s the biggest mistake they make, not getting to sit back and appreciate the contributions they’ve made and events they’ve taken part in. It is so cliché to say, ‘oh it’s just another player or another season’, but in reality, a player of that magnitude will make each moment big. Just think about this. Your calls will be attached to this player’s legacy and career. That’s a pretty cool thought, but also a bit daunting.
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
