Victor Wembanyama Showcases Skillset In Preseason Victory
For years, Victor Wembanyama has been in the spotlight for NBA fans. From his viral one-on-one matchup with Rudy Gobert to his dominant performance in the FIBA U19 World Cup to his breathtaking Euroleague highlights, the 7-foot-4 prodigy’s pre-professional career has certainly garnered ample attention.
His pre-professional career came to a close this past June when Wembanyama was drafted first overall by the San Antonio Spurs. He’d now finally play under the biggest spotlight of the NBA.
In a preseason game against the Miami Heat this Friday, Wembanyama had the first of many jaw-dropping performances of his career. He filled the stat sheet up, recording 23 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. This included 10-for-15 shooting from the field, 1-for-5 shooting from behind the arc, and a San Antonio plus-13 point differential while he was on the court.
However, it’s not just Wembanyama’s gaudy numbers that earned him immense praise this weekend. Akin to his performances in the prior stages of his career, the Frenchman put up these numbers through the most absurd plays possible.
Standing at 7-foot-4 with an 8-foot wingspan, the way in which Wembanyama operates has always been remarkable. He moves and handles the ball like a guard while getting into his pull-up jumper like he’s Devin Booker. Defensively, he brings a fortifying rim presence while retaining elite mobility. One might say his archetype breaks the game of basketball. After all, he mixes strengths of players from the different positions into one massive frame. The Spurs’ prodigy flaunted these unique abilities in the squad’s victory over the Heat.
On one play, Wembanyama ran into an alley-oop from the 3-point line. On others, he nailed step-back and turnaround pull-up jumpers, skied shots from behind, and dunked on Thomas Bryant.
As a result of this eye-catching performance, Wembanyama showed the world how he can dominate the league unlike any other star in the past. The 19-year-old showcased a few of the unique talents that make him a generational talent coming into the draft.
As Wembanyama officially begins his NBA career, it’s clear that he’s a must-watch this season as he projects his skill set onto the best league in the world.
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