Is Sam Darcy the AFL’s Victor Wembanyama? How the Western Bulldogs star compares to NBA gun
Sam Darcy’s high marking wowed footy fans, but it was his work at ground level that means he could be our version of a never-before-seen NBA talent Victor Wembanyama.
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A giant, even by basketball standards, who can do everything on an NBA court, Victor Wembanyama was quickly dubbed an “alien” for his out-of-this-world talents.
His traits – the wingspan, the skills no man his size should have, and the way he could bend the game to his style – are quickly lining up to Sam Darcy.
San Antonio Spur Wembanyama – who will miss the remainder of the NBA season due to a blood clot issue – has so fully changed basketball games to his will that opposition players just behave differently on the court, refusing to challenge his incredible reach and instincts when he guards the defensive rim.
Wembanyama, 21, also dominates on the offensive end, shooting from long range like players way shorter than his listed height of 222cm and handling the ball whenever he gets the chance.
Western Bulldog Darcy, who is also 21, has already shown he can dominate the skies with his long reach but it was his work at ground level that shocked even the great Scott Pendlebury after Friday night’s clash against Collingwood.
Pendlebury mused that Darcy may deliberately choose to kick on his left foot in general play, because he is so skilled.
That ambidextrous style is a trait better suited to men much shorter than Darcy’s 208cm.
Pendlebury said that Darcy would become “something the game has never seen” as the tall forward gets better and better.
It was reminiscent of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo back in 2022 who declared “I’ve never seen this before in my life” when he caught an early glimpse of French giant Wembanyama.
The Dog comes from the most traditional of pathways – his father Luke and grandfather David both played for the Bulldogs – but he could be the AFL’s first alien.
Like Wembanyama, he changed the way opponents play on Friday.
Collingwood skipper Darcy Moore is renowned for his aggressive style, keen to peel off his direct match-up and counter-attack.
But as Darcy reeled in eight marks on his way to kicking 4.2 against the Pies, Moore played him closer and closer, scared to give the Dog any room.
Even then, the 203cm Moore was powerless to stop Darcy when he had his arms fully outstretched.
Tall forwards have burst into the football stage at a young age before – Bomber Paul Salmon is the shiniest example – but few have been able to do seemingly everything on the field like Darcy.
A Bulldog born with footy in his blood, he behaves like an alien from outside of the AFL world.
OTHER NBA COMPARISONS
Scott Pendlebury and LeBron James
The Magpie great isn’t quite in the conversation of best players of all time but like James, he just keeps breaking records and looks like he could go on and on. Both still play the game at their own speed, with James now 40 and Pendlebury chugging along at age 37. Their game IQ is better than almost anybody else and they both play for the biggest clubs in their respective leagues.
Patrick Cripps and Giannis Antetokounmpo
At his best, the Carlton skipper just brutalises opponents in the midfield and he is too big and strong. Just like the ‘Greek Freak’ Antetokounmpo. Neither player has that much pure style to their game but they get the ball and get to where they want. Also, Cripps’ two Brownlow medals are matched by Antetokounmpo’s two MVP awards.
Nick Daicos and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Likely to win this season’s MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander, racks up numbers like Brownlow Medal favourite Daicos. You can rely on the two younger players, who are entering their primes, to tick up the statsheet. SGA leads the NBA this year with an average of 32.9 points per game, while Daicos averaged 30.7 last year. And both do it with a beautiful, silky style.
Lachie Neale and Jayson Tatum
Like clockwork, Lachie Neale racks up the ball, doesn’t make many mistakes and just wins matches. Tatum is similarly consistent and always a winner. Both won their first titles last year and while they both narrowly missed out on finals awards – the finals MVP in basketball and the Norm Smith in AFL – they quietly keep their respective engines running.
Toby Bedford and Dyson Daniels
A couple of options for ‘The Great Barrier Thief’ Daniels. The Aussie gun has vaulted into the best defensive players in the NBA this year and locks players down like Giants tagger Bedford. The Giant just needs a killer nickname.
Toby Greene and Draymond Green
There is more to this than the same last names. Both are star players who love to play the antagonist, talking trash to the opposition and to the umpires. The divisive play has gotten them in trouble – Greene has paid more in fines than any AFL player ever and Green was banned at a vital time in the 2016 NBA Finals for an unseemly kick to LeBron James. But both the Giants and the Golden State Warriors wouldn’t have their stars be any other way.
Originally published as Is Sam Darcy the AFL’s Victor Wembanyama? How the Western Bulldogs star compares to NBA gun
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