Metta Sandiford-Artest Declares NBA ‘Closed’ as Wembanyama Dominates Early Season

Wemby’s Rapid Rise

Victor Wembanyama’s third NBA season is off to a remarkable start. The 7-foot-5 French star has transitioned from a perimeter-focused rookie to a commanding force in the paint. Through six games, he’s averaging 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and a career-best 4.7 blocks. His impact has lifted the San Antonio Spurs to second in defensive rating and first in opponent points allowed (108.2).

Wembanyama’s offensive approach has also evolved. He leads the league with 4.7 post-ups per game — nearly double last year’s 2.4 — and attempts 7.8 shots per game from within the restricted area. The increase in interior touches shows a deliberate shift toward playing like a dominant big man rather than a tall guard.

Metta: “No Championships Available”

Lakers legend Metta Sandiford-Artest believes the league is witnessing the dawn of a new era. Speaking on Iman Shumpert’s No Limit podcast, he warned current stars that their championship windows are closing fast.

“Luka’s going to show how good he is, but he’s got to win now,” Metta said. “It’s the same for SGA. I told SGA’s dad, I was like, ‘Yo, he got to win it this year because Wembanyama is coming and the league is going to be out of commission for a couple years. It’ll be out of order. We’re closed.’”

When Shumpert questioned whether he was exaggerating, the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year doubled down: “When Wembanyama arrives, yeah, we’re out of order. There will be no championships available. Sorry. Come back in two years.”

“Wemby Will Win 10 Titles”

Metta didn’t stop there. The former Laker, who helped Los Angeles win the 2010 championship, predicted Wembanyama could “three-peat at least twice,” joining the rare company of dynasties like the 1950s Lakers, 1960s Celtics, and 1990s Bulls.

“You better win now,” he warned. “For the Lakers, the window is this year and next year, because Wembanyama is here.”

Iman Shumpert agreed that the rest of the league may soon be powerless. “I don’t know what we’re going to do when Wemby gets to the point that he’s strong,” he said. “He got right hand, left hand, floater, pass. He diving on loose balls. He doing the one-hand Jokic taps.”

Wembanyama’s growth continues to reshape the NBA landscape, and if Metta is right, the league may soon belong to him.