{
  "id": 6214923,
  "title": "Julius Erving: Victor Wembanyama Will Bring Back NBA Centers’ Lost Glory",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/julius-erving-victor-wembanyama-will-bring-back-nba-centers-lost-glory",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-08T02:17:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/julius-erving-victor-wembanyama-bring-021740461.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a recent interview with Scoop B. Robinson, NBA legend Julius Erving expressed his belief that Victor Wembanyama could bring back the lost glory of NBA centers. Erving noted that while wing players have dominated the game in recent years, the traditional center's role has become less prominent. However, Wembanyama's exceptional skills and potential make him a promising candidate to change this trend. A 22-year-old player, Wembanyama finished third in MVP voting the previous season, averaging 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. His defensive prowess, including a league-high 3.1 blocks per game, earned him the NBA's first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year award. Erving acknowledged the dominance of guards and forwards in modern NBA MVP discussions, but believes Wembanyama could shift the focus back to centers. With Wembanyama's emergence, the narrative surrounding NBA centers could be revitalized, following the footsteps of legendary big men like Shaquille O'Neal, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.",
  "summary": "With Victor Wembanyama's meteoric rise to stardom demanding more attention, Julius Erving was quick to highlight what it could mean for NBA centers.",
  "key_points": [
    "Julius Erving predicts Victor Wembanyama will revive NBA centers' prominence.",
    "22-year-old Wembanyama finished third in MVP voting last season.",
    "Wembanyama's defensive skills earned him first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year award."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Julius Erving believes Victor Wembanyama's emergence could revitalize the traditional NBA center's role, shifting focus back to big men and restoring their lost glory in the league.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}