The young French basketball player, selected in first position in the last NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs, is having a brilliant first season on an individual level but disappointing in terms of collective results. He must participate Friday evening in a gala match bringing together the best young players in the North American basketball league.
Published on: 02/16/2024 – 07:26
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Some were waiting for him at the “All Star Game” on Sunday evening, he will finally have to settle for the “Rising Stars Challenge”. French basketball player Victor Wembanyama takes part, Friday February 16, in the gala match bringing together the best young players in the NBA. A meeting organized as part of the All Star Weekend: three days of festivities organized every year to promote the North American basketball league and the highlight of which is held on Sunday evening with the “star match” bringing together the greatest NBA stars.
Victor Wembanyama can console himself by remembering that being selected among the 24 best players in the league from his “rookie” season – first year in the league – is quite rare. Only 11 players have achieved this in the last 40 years, including Michael Jordan (1985), Patrick Ewing (1986), David Robinson (1990), Shaquille O’Neal (1993) and Tim Duncan (1998). But for their part, neither LeBron James nor Kobe Bryant – two of the greatest players in history – were selected when they were rookies.
“Of course, being selected for the ‘All Star Game’ would have been a great achievement, especially in my first season [en NBA]. But honestly, my main objective remains to try to win matches and progress with my team”, put the French phenomenon, just 20 years old, into perspective on February 8, at a press conference, preferring to talk about the collective rather than its individual performances.
The latter, however, have something to impress. With 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.2 blocks in 28.4 minutes played on average per game, Victor Wembanyama has already established himself as the best scorer and best rebounder among rookies, and is even already the best blocker in the entire NBA.
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A triple-double with 10 blocks, a first in 34 years
Above all, the 2.24 meter tall giant has established some exceptional performances since the start of the season, like his 38 points scored in his fifth game or his two triple-doubles.
Symbol of a complete and high-class match for a basketball player, the triple-double is achieved by obtaining more than ten units in three statistical categories, most often points, rebounds and assists. Victor Wembanyama became, on January 10 against the Detroit Pistons, the 5th youngest player in NBA history to achieve one (16 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists).
He did even better on February 12 on the floor of the Toronto Raptors, reaching it with 10 blocks (27 points, 14 rebounds, 10 blocks in the end) – a feat that had not been achieved by a rookie in 34 years .
“He bluffs me,” enthuses Jacques Monclar, former player of the French team and former coach, now a consultant for the beIN Sports channel, which broadcasts the NBA in France. “His results are very, very, very positive,” he continues. “He confirmed the status that everyone gave him before his arrival in the league and removed the uncertainty that existed about his ability to play a series of matches. The only downsides concern his turnovers (3.5 on average) and his success percentage (46.8%). But he is improving, he is learning to sort his shots.”
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NBA stars are full of praise for him. “He’s going to change the game, that’s 100% sure. He’s already on the path, so take advantage of it and watch the show,” Nikola Jokic, voted best player of the championship (“Most Valuable Player”), responded to journalists. “) last season, and 2023 NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets, after facing Victor Wembanyama.
Bad results which darken the picture
However, poor results accumulate for the San Antonio Spurs and darken this first assessment. With 11 wins and 44 losses, the club with five titles (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) is currently last in the Western Conference and 28th out of 30 in the entire league.
Worse, with only 27 matches to play between now and the end of the season, Spurs’ final record could be even worse than that established last year (22 wins and 60 losses) without Victor Wembanyama.
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“Around him, it’s a very weak team, underlines Jacques Monclar. The Spurs have no other ambition for this season than to develop their young players. Those who imagined them qualifying for the playoffs [la phase finale du championnat, NDLR] thanks to Wemby had inordinate expectations.”
A speech in line with the patience advocated by the legendary Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich. “Michael Jordan’s first title came in his seventh year in the NBA. Nikola Jokic just won his first ring, and it took him eight years. We have the right to hope that it goes faster for Victor, but we “can’t skip steps. It takes time to shape a team,” he said on February 6 in The Teamwell aware of the enormous expectations placed on his young prodigy.
