Victor Wembanyama is slowly starting to turn heads around. Based on his performances over the last couple of games, people began to question his credibility. The competition between this year’s rookies is extremely tight, leaving the Frenchman barely any wiggle room. However, Wemby has officially put himself on the map with his latest performance against the Phoenix Suns.
Before diving into his historic performance, earlier this week, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal stated that he didn’t think Victor was one of a kind. He said, “I wanna go at Reggie [Miller] a little bit. He talked about how he’s never seen a guy like Wembanyama. Yes you have, his name is Bol Bol… Wembanyama is just way more consistent than Bol Bol, but Bol Bol is the first seven-footer that we see doing that.”
While Shaq’s comments were valid to a certain point, consistency is exactly what places Victor Wembanyama above all. The San Antonio Spurs are coming off two consecutive victories against the Suns. This time, Victor dominated the floor, finishing with 38 points and 10 rebounds. Additionally, the 19-year-old also became the first rookie since Shaq to score at least 85 points, along with 35 rebounds, and 10 blocks in five games of his debut.
Victor Wembanyama gets praised by Suns’ Devin Booker
The Spurs and Victor Wembanyama went ahead against the Suns, a team that seems like a potential title contender. During their first matchup, Devin Booker was out, leaving only Kevin Durant to lead the team. After a gruesome loss to the Spurs, Booker returned to unleash hell as he recorded 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists. However, this wasn’t enough to help the Suns redeem themselves.
The Suns’ lack of defense ultimately paved the way for the Spurs to emerge victorious. Booker was impressed by how talented Wembanyama was during the game. He said, “He’s an unbelievable talent. Everyone knows that. We’re just trying to figure what he is because we’ve never seen him before… We got him early in the season. Hopefully, next time we play him we can make some adjustments to make it tougher. But he has an advantage being 7’4″ and being able to shoot over everybody.”
This loss ought to leave the Suns worried. But Victor Wembanyama could be making his promise to the Spurs come true. Right now, he’s projected to be this year’s Rookie of the Year. However, Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren is a close second.