Victor Wembanyama is having a seismic second season. Averaging 24.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and a league-leading 4.0 blocks per game, he is peerless in that regard and being treated as the king upon returning to his native Paris, having come agonisingly close to Olympic gold in July. Acting as tour guide for the San Antonio Spurs during their two-game overseas trip, he’s a fitting ambassador.
Wemby still working on it all, as fanfare builds
Victor Wembanyama’s season so far
Averaging 24.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.9 blocks, 3.7 assists per game
Expected to be an All-Star in his second season after winning ROY last year
Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner, bulked up 26 pounds to 235lbs already
YOU couldn’t lavish more deserving praise on Victor Wembanyama if you tried, and yet, Hall of Fame guard and Spurs legend Tony Parker’s words spoke for themselves when asked what the 7-foot-4 phenom could become one day.
“He can be whatever he wants. He can be the best, the best player in the NBA.”
While Zion Williamson’s Duke days were appointment viewing, there hasn’t been such attention and expectation surrounding a draft pick since LeBron James.
Wembanyama, another of the European cohort thriving Stateside, quickly justified the hype in ways many didn’t foresee – not only based on his play, but also the 21-year-old’s admirable character and innate determination to thrive for years to come.
The last player to finish a season averaging the numbers shown above was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, half-a-century ago. Add long-distance shooting from beyond the arc and you reach unprecedented numbers only achievable on video games.
As mentioned, he’s bulked up 26 pounds – 209 to 235 – as justified reservations over his slim frame being overpowered in a physical league by heavier defenders has been allayed. Still just 21, he’ll get stronger still and learn more about his body.
As quoted in Tim Reynolds’ AP feature, Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said: “We see something, everyday, new on the court that he’s building. I’ve watched him since he was 15 and what’s been fascinating is how important that it is to him, to continue to grow as a player. And now we’re getting to see it every day.”
Future Hall of Fame guard Chris Paul, who has mentored Warriors evergreen star Stephen Curry and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander among others, has found himself in the ideal environment to thrive alongside Wembanyama.
“Vic is so unique. I think everybody just expects him to dunk because he’s tall, that’s not him by any means. He cna dribble, pass, shoot, does a little bit of everything and that’s why it’s been so fun to play with him. His awareness on both ends of the court is something you just don’t see all the time.”
San Antonio sit three games below .500 with a 20-23 record after splitting their two-game Paris stint against Indiana, last season’s Eastern Conference finalists. The West remains open, especially at the bottom-half of an uber-competitive postseason race.
Long-reigning head coach Gregg Popovich was a notable absentee from their Paris stint, still recovering from a November stroke prompting the near 30-year stalwart to take an indefinite leave to recover. Mitch Johnson, Spurs’ acting coach, praised him.
“Even as a kid, he’s had the attention, cameras, microphones, spotlight on him. He’s very clear about what he wants and where he wants this to go. He’s very grounded in this, everything that comes with it and he wants it, because he knows what his goals are, the way he goes about it, again, is a testament to himself and his family the most, because he’s a mature, humble young man.”
It’s easy to forget San Antonio have endured a five-year stint outside the playoffs, with a pair of 22-win records over the last two seasons. DeMar DeRozan, Derrick White and Dejounte Murray are among the notable names who’ve flourished in less-than-ideal circumstances, before their luck changed in the May 2023 draft lottery.
Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle, who has seen the youngster up-close and personal more than most, said: “He shows phenomenal maturity for a player that age, not to mention all his skills. I mean, he’s a four-level scorer and if he’s not defensive player of the year this year, I know I’ll be surprised. He’s averaging four blocks a game, what a player.” The sky’s the limit for him and that, for the league, is exciting.
Picture source: Getty Images, information sources hyperlinked
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