Victor Wembanyama Had A Displeasing NBA Debut

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On Friday, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs recorded a 76-68 victory against the second overall pick, Brandon Miller, and the Charlotte Hornets.

Wembanyama or “Wemby” was drafted number one overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 NBA Draft. Did he play up to people’s expectations? No, he didn’t, and here’s why.

The Good

Let’s cover all the pros of his performance first. Wembanyama has a lot of talent and people recognize him because of what he can do at 7’4”. Last night, Wembanyama showed everyone what he could do on the defensive end. He hosted his own block party with five blocks. With this, he will be able to help the Spurs on defense.

Speaking of help, Wemby was also able to grab eight rebounds and generate three assists. There are a lot of other ways to help a team cruise to victory than just scoring alone. He was protecting the rim and made sure he gave his teammates opportunities. The arena was sold out for Wemby because he’s an ultra-gifted prospect.

The Bad

Even though there was a sell-out crowd, Wemby was the real sell-out. Wembanyama didn’t put this expectation on himself. He’s a humble player, but even NBA Executives predicted Wemby to be the next big thing after LeBron James.

Wemby’s showing in his first-ever NBA Summer League game wasn’t entirely pretty to watch. He finished the game with just nine points (2-13 FG, 1-6 3PT, 4-4 FT). He couldn’t get through the defense due to his lightweight and was getting the ball taken away because of his unprotected ball handling.

Work in Progress

Wembanyama needs to work on controlling the ball when driving. His tall height makes it harder to dribble, but easier for the opponent to take the ball away. He also needs to develop a stronger frame and get his weight up to at least 250 because facing off against stronger centers at 237 pounds is a recipe for disaster.

Victor Wembanyama is a great NBA prospect who has a lot of potential. Will we continue to witness Wemby’s weak performances or will he prove everyone wrong? We shall see in his next matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at 8 pm EST.