'It's Not That Big!' San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama Preps for Madison Square Garden Debut at Knicks
Exactly 39 years after NBA Hall-of-Famer Michael Jordan took center stage at Madison Square Garden, a certain San Antonio Spurs rookie is set to do the same.
No. Victor Wembanyama is not Jordan. Not close. That isn't the point to be made here. But as lauded as Michael Jordan was 39 years ago, Wembanyama is facing arguably more hype. Nobody had seen a Jordan-like player before, after all.
Wembanyama has received endless praise. He's been told he has to be better than players like Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and even Hakeem Olajuwon.
Expectations much?
The Spurs rookie is still in his first season, but that's exactly it. First. Everything he does during his debut season will be covered, talked about and hyper-analyzed. Call it unfair, unhealthy or anything else, but that's just how it's going to be. And he knows it.
Still, he doesn't even flirt with the idea of buying into any media-generated narratives.
"[My teammates] know I don't care about [the media attention]," Wembanyama said during the team's annual media day. "I'm here to make sacrifices for them, and I think they're going to make sacrifices for me ... at the end of the day, we're at practice and I'm like, 'What can we do today to make this team better?'"
Nov 5, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) is introduced before the game against the Toronto Raptors at the Frost Bank Center.
© Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
This season, Wembanyama has accomplished his goal. He's made his team better on numerous fronts, and while he might not pay much mind to the onlooking media watching him do so, he does make sure to remain honest — brutally honest.
That was evident upon his initial reaction to stepping into MSG Wednesday morning.
"It's not as big as I expected," Wembanyama said of the arena while taking another look at the top of the stands. "But still, the vibe is here. [It will] be a tough game. Physical and [in front of] passionate fans."
Hey — he didn't totally knock it. But for an arena often seen as one of the best to play in, Knicks fans certainly won't be too happy with his appraisal.
Players like James, Jordan and Duncan all had stellar performances at The Garden in their first appearances, so big enough or not, Wembanyama is once again facing pressure to join that list of names. And the Knicks won't let him do so easily.
"I'm going to play him just like he's one of those Kristaps Porzingis-kind of [players]," Knicks center Mitchell Robinson said of guarding Wembanyama. "Who else plays like that? Bol Bol? Just mix those two together.
"I've kind of got a feel for how it should go."
Based on the rest of this season, Robinson might be treading in dangerous waters by likening Wembanyama's skill set to other players the NBA has already seen. As much as non-Spurs fans hate to admit it, Wembanyama is truly a one-of-a-kind talent. He isn't anything that's ever been seen before.
And that goes for NBA players, too.
It took the Spurs rookie just one of half to adjust to being guarded by Dillon Brooks. He finished that game with more than 20 points and an overtime victory. He did the same thing against the Suns ... twice. He finished both games with a combined 56 points and a pair of road victories.
Now, it's New York's turn to experience the talented rookie.
The stage is set, the Garden is going to be full, and Wembanyama will get his chance to once again put the NBA world on notice — this time from MSG.
It's a notable occasion, and he recognizes that added sentiment. "Of course" he does, Wemby conceded.
"Of course it means something special," Wembanyama said. "I've heard from so many people that this is the best basketball gym in the world, and I'm eager to find out."
Tipoff between the Spurs and Knicks from The Garden is set for 6:30 p.m. CST.
