Victor Wembanyama had another excellent showing in his second preseason game for the San Antonio Spurs, finishing with 23 points, 4 rebounds,
4 assists, and 3 blocks in a 120-104 win over the Miami Heat. Wembanyama’s unique skillset was on full display in the game, with his highlights from the outing going viral.
Victor Wembanyama showed the world tonight that the hype is real
(🎥 @IQfor3 )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 14, 2023
NBA fans were in awe of the 19-year-old.
One said Wembanyama really does look like an alien out there.
Bro a real life alien out there
— SWISHOUT (@swishout) October 14, 2023
A fan isn’t sure how you defend someone like Wembanyama.
https://twitter.com/TrippTalksHoops/status/1713014380017733761
One fan hilariously called him a mix of Kevin Durant and Rudy Gobert.
When did Kevin Durant and Rudy Gobert have a kid?
— Wizzo (Ø,G) (@solwizzo) October 14, 2023
Wembayama’s agility boggles the mind of one fan.
The agility boggles the mind
— pharmAziz (@pharmaziz) October 14, 2023
A fan believes Wembanyama is going to be a big problem once he adds more muscle.
imagine when he adds more muscle… he gonna be even more of a problem…
— KUMA (@Kuma4King) October 14, 2023
This was a second consecutive 20-point outing for the Frenchman, who had 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It is just the preseason, but some of the things you saw there from Wembanyama show just why he is viewed as a generational talent. A man who stands at 7’4″ is not supposed to be able to do the things he does.
Wembanyama can score inside and outside, has a handle, and is going to be an elite shot blocker. Sure, he will find it tougher during the regular season, but he has all the tools needed to be a very special player.
Gregg Popovich Only Designed One Play For Wembanyama In This Game
While Wembanyama showed out here, it wasn’t because his head coach Gregg Popovich had designed their gameplan around him. It was, in fact, the opposite, as Popovich revealed he only designed one play for the Frenchman.
“I only designed one play for [Victor Wembanyama] in the entire game, and he ended up getting about 20 points. And he scored on that play I designed (laughing).”
Gregg Popovich:
“I only designed one play for [Victor Wembanyama] in the entire game, and he ended up getting about 20 points. And he scored on that play I designed (laughing).”
(via @NBAdabad) pic.twitter.com/gxhZLitodd
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 14, 2023
I think when you look at those highlights, it is clear that a lot of those weren’t exactly designed. That give-and-go lob, in particular, didn’t seem like a designed play, and there really aren’t many who can pull that off the way he did.
It will be interesting to see how Popovich coaches Wembanyama this season. Will he let him freestyle fairly often, or try to make him play a bit more within the system? If I had to guess, I’d say the former. With someone like Wembanyama, you want him to express himself on the court, and putting him in a box might not be the greatest idea.
NBA GMs Would Rather Start A Franchise With Wembanyama Than Giannis And Doncic
It’s not just the fans who have bought into the Wembanyama hype, but the general managers in the NBA have too. In their annual survey, more NBA GMs said they’d start a franchise with Wembanyama, than Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic.
Giannis and Luka have established themselves as two of the very best players in the league, but a lot of the GMs seem to believe the Frenchman can surpass both of them. Antetokounmpo is even generally viewed as a top-20 player of all time, which lets you know in what high regard the youngster is held around the league.
The only player who got more votes than Wembanyama was Nikola Jokic, who just won his first NBA championship after a stunning playoff run. It wouldn’t be all that surprising to me, though, if the youngster gets the top spot next year.
These preseason displays might also give those who have picked Chet Holmgren or Scoot Henderson to win Rookie of the Year some food for thought. Wembanyama is special, and I think we are going to see some incredible things from him in 2023-24.
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