'He's Great!' MVP Joel Embiid Impressed by Victor Wembanyama After Spurs vs. 76ers
All the attention is on Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers after they beat the San Antonio Spurs, and rightfully so. The reigning MVP set a career-high in points and rebounds last night, scoring 70 and nabbing 18 boards in his first matchup against Victor Wembanyama.
Before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich joked that Wembanyama wasn't worried about the matchup with Embiid, saying Wemby would "hammer his ass." Clearly, Embiid got the message and wanted to show off.
Jan 22, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) shoots against San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center.
© Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
During warmups, a clip surfaced of Embiid sizing Wembanyama up and saying a prayer. After the game, where Wembayama scored 33 points, Embiid conceded that Wembanyama does live up to the hype.
"He's great man, he's got everything," said Embiid. "Size, skill, he's got everything. There's nothing else to say, he's got a bright future and he's already pretty good...he's going to be a lot of problems for a lot of guys in this league."
In the matchup, Wembanyama was hardly tasked with guarding Embiid. Early foul trouble and a minutes restriction plagued Wembanyama all night, so Zach Collins got lit up by the MVP.
Embiid scored 21 of his points from the free-throw line, which hasn't helped his reputation as a foul merchant. He leads the league in free throws made and is second in attempts, benefiting heavily from a friendly whistle.
Even without the help from the referees, Embiid showcased his talents against the Spurs and stifled any claims that Wembanyama already belongs on the list of great centers. Currently, only Embiid and Nikola Jokic can lay claim to that crown.
The Spurs have only played the Denver Nuggets once this season, and it was a similar showing to last night's game. Wembanyama's 22-point double-double (with ten stocks!) was not enough for Jokic's near triple-double, and the Spurs lost by 12.
The Spurs' next game is in the Frost Bank Center against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It will be Wembanyama's second matchup against fellow "rookie" Chet Holmgren.
