Wembanyama will make his first visit to Philly Monday night, his only stop at the Wells Fargo Center during a rookie season with the Spurs that has largely lived up to the immense pre-draft hype.

Joel Embiid shoots over Charlotte Hornets center Nathan Mensah during the second half on Jan. 20.Chris Carlson / AP

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Victor Wembanyama first landed on Joel Embiid’s radar a couple of years ago, when he caught a clip of the 7-foot-4 teenager working out against Rudy Gobert, his fellow Frenchman and a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

“Just look at his size and the way he was scoring with ease on Rudy,” Embiid recalled late Saturday from his locker inside the Spectrum Center. “That’s when I started kind of following him.”

“He has the potential to accomplish a lot of great things,” Embiid said of Wembanyama. “Obviously, a man that size being able to move the way he does — whether it’s ballhandling, shooting ability, defensively, just his presence — I think it’s huge.”

Wembanyama, who turned 20 earlier this month, is averaging 19.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and an NBA-best 3.2 blocks per game, numbers that put him in competition with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren — another impressive big man — for this season’s Rookie of the Year award. In Saturday’s Spurs win at the Washington Wizards, Wembanyama scored 18 of his 24 points in the second half, and added eight rebounds and six blocks. He is averaging five three-pointers per game and also can lead the fast break and dish out alley-oop passes.

That versatility is why Embiid is quick to emphasize that “I don’t think [Wembanyama] thinks he’s a center. I think he thinks he’s a basketball player.” A few weeks ago, that could have been viewed as criticism, after Embiid told The Athletic that Wembanyama “has to figure out where he wants to play, whether he wants to be a guard or a big or whatever. … Do you want to become KD [Kevin Durant], or do you want to become me?

On Saturday, Embiid also offered understanding of Wembanyama’s perceived self-evaluation, because “honestly that’s the way I think, too.”

And rightfully so, given how Embiid’s stunning skill oozing from an imposing 7-foot-2 frame has helped him revolutionize the possibilities for other tall players. He now primarily operates from the mid-post area to either fire automatic off-the-dribble jumpers, draw contact on drives, or facilitate for others. He is on pace to lead the NBA in scoring for the third consecutive season (35 points per game) on an efficient 53.6% shooting, while also averaging 11.4 rebounds, a career-best 5.9 assists, and 1.9 blocks.

Yet Embiid said earlier this week that “it’s fun to see other bigs dominate the game the way it’s been happening.”

On Tuesday night, Embiid called two-time MVP Nikola Jokić the NBA’s best player on national television following the Sixers’ impressive win over the Denver Nuggets. One day earlier, Embiid praised rising star Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets, saying he “kind of plays a little bit like who we’re talking about — Nikola.” Then on Friday in Orlando, Embiid gave himself a pat on the back, after watching explosive Minnesota Timberwolves wing Anthony Edwards throw the ball to himself off the backboard for a dunk and thinking, “If he can do it, why can’t I do it, too?”

Perhaps all of those players helped pave the way for Wemby. Next comes an anticipated first matchup with Embiid.