Victor Wembanyama receives a similar reaction from most of his opponents.
The NBA has a conversation regarding the next face of the league. They’re having a marketing issue. Rather than promoting young star talents, they are hung on the older superstars like LeBron James and Steph Curry who were once dominant.
However, plenty of strong talents have made their way into the NBA, though one stands out more than the others. That player would happen to be French phenom Victor Wembanyama. The former No. 1 overall selection entered the NBA with expectations that haven’t been seen since 2003 when James was taken No. 1 overall straight out of high school.
Has the San Antonio Spurs star lived up to the hype, though? How do opponents, in particular, feel when taking on Wembanyama in a contest?
The Spurs are soon set to take on the Milwaukee Bucks. Because the two clubs play in opposite conferences, they only play twice per season — once on each team’s home floor. This means the Bucks have only had two chances to face off against Wembanyama.
The 7-foot-4 center has an incredible skillset, and he’s tough to cover. One Milwaukee player, Bobby Portis, recently opened up about his first impressions of the French superstar while on an appearance on “Run it Back.”
“I checked in… I’m just coming in, you know, get right to it. My first defensive possession, [Wembanyama] split a double team and throw it off the glass, and I’m low man. I just let him go,” Portis explained.
“I said, ‘Ah, nah, this dude crazy.’ The next possession, he blocked somebody’s shot, wrapped the ball behind Dame, and dunked Brook.
“…Bro is playing a video game out here, this is unreal. I like him a lot, though, man.”
Last year, when Portis and the Bucks took on Wembanyama, the Spurs star scored 27 points while pulling down nine rebounds, putting together quite an incredible performance.
After being a dynasty, the Spurs had a few years of mediocrity. They were a fringe playoff team after Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili ended their playing careers before ultimately pivoting to a rebuild. All roads led to drafting Wembanyama, who is not only the future of the club, but the league.
Last season, the Spurs weren’t good, but Wembanyama showed every bit of the potential he has as a basketball player. This year, through 36 games, they’ve got an 18-18 record while they seem to be turning the tide as a club.
With a .500 record, Wembanyama is averaging 25.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 4.0 blocks per game while playing an average of 33.1 minutes. He’s likely going to be an All-Star as his career has gotten off to an absurd start, and the eye test meets the box score at just how much of a phenom he is.
There is a reason many have claimed Wembanyama could rival those as the best to play the sport in the history of the game and league.
Related Posts
