The game and score of basketball can swing in a matter of one possession. Victor Wembanyama is legitimately big enough to where he could take a few strides to recover and block a shot, gather the ball, take maybe five to six more strides/dribbles and be in position to shot on the other end of the court.
In last night’s late-night preseason action against the Golden State Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs’ No. 1 overall pick put forth one of the most thrilling 90-seconds stretches of exhibition hoops you’ll ever see. Given that he’s only 19 years old, it’s downright stupid how polished and skilled he is as an offensive player. He doesn’t even have that “grown-man strength” yet. It matters not.
Look at him stuff the ever-loving hell out of championship players Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, and proceed to convert that into immediate offense moments later. Before that, how about a sick pull-up J, and a face-up and-one to go with that trey he knocks down to cap it all off? Is that any good? People are asking.
Thanks to a no-joke 8-foot wingspan, Wemby is so long that any lack of functional strength isn’t likely to hinder him from posting monster numbers as an NBA rookie.
I understand that under normal circumstances, we shouldn’t get too excited over here about preseason ball. Nothing about Victor Wembanyama is normal whatsoever. The dude is going to be a potential top-10 player in the league in his first season. No cap, as the kids say.
I’m sure San Antonio will be conservative with the French prodigy, put him on a minutes pitch count, and have a big-picture view in mind as he “acclimates” to the NBA. Or at least that’s the conventional groupthink.
I put “acclimates” in facetious quotation marks, because I think we’ve seen enough. This guy can dominate. Like right now. Good luck shooting over him, and good luck legitimately contesting any shot he ever takes!
Wemby is about to take the NBA by storm, take a flamethrower to/explode social media engagement, and do things on the hardwood we’ve literally never seen before.
A plea to the Spurs: Please play this young man. Don’t bench him. Don’t tank. Just stop. Gregg Popovich, stop joshing around, sir. You know your guy Steve Kerr is right. You ARE rejuvenated after winning the NBA Draft lottery of a lifetime.
Victor Wembanyama is the type of franchise-changing force who can almost single-handedly put San Antonio in playoff contention — even in a pretty loaded Western Conference. He’s that good. That freaky-deaky. Already.
Excuse me while I continue to try resetting my dislocated dropped jaw. Watching this footage is akin to seeing Sasquatch or something. Wemby is the athletic marvel/wonder of the world. Let the REAL games start, like, yesterday!
