SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is a household name and the numbers prove it.
According to the NBA, Wemby currently ranks No. 2 among the top 10 most-viewed players on NBA social this season with 508 million views.
Ahead of him is the Lakers' LeBron James at No. 1 with 756 million views.
This also shines a light on his massive popularity ranking ahead of names like Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry, and James Harden.
In addition, Wembanyama ranks way ahead of fellow rookie Chet Holmgren. The Thunder center ranks No. 9 with 122 million views.
Wembanyama is a must-see whether on television or in person at games.
His height, speed, wingspan, and ability to dominate a game are a big reason why fans tune in to watch and a big reason he is popular on social media.
Plus the tremendous hype surrounding him coming in the league and the spike in nationally televised Spurs games gives him a boost on social media.
It also helps that he has not just Spurs fans across the globe and the city of San Antonio behind him but the country of France checking on his rookie season.
NBA SEES A SPIKE IN HISPANIC VIEWERS
According to ESPN, NBA game viewership across ESPN and ABC is up 16 percent from last season, according to Nielsen.
The 29-game broadcasts are averaging 1,712,000 viewers, compared to 1,469,000 last year.
Game viewership across ESPN and ABC is also up 26 percent in the P18-34 demographic and up 37 percent among Hispanic viewers from this time last season.