Victor Wembanyama’s NBA education is underway. The French teen is passing the early tests
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to a play during overtime of the team's NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets in San Antonio, Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reaches for a pass during overtime in the team's NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets in San Antonio, Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) goes around Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023.
San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama (1) looks to pass the ball as he is defended by Toronto Raptors' O.G. Anunoby, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, in San Antonio.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) shoots under the defense of San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, left, speaks with Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, in San Antonio.
Here鈥檚 some of what San Antonio鈥檚 Victor Wembanyama has experienced so far in the NBA: Scoring 38 points in a game, playing in a back-to-back for the first time, being part of two 40-point losses, wasting a huge lead and losing, overcoming a huge deficit and winning.
It鈥檚 been an education.
And by all accounts, the French rookie who stands nearly 7-foot-4 is passing the tests.
Wembanyama鈥檚 numbers so far 鈥� 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. The last player to have such averages over the first seven games of his career was Shaquille O鈥橬eal in 1992. Back then, the consensus was O鈥橬eal was one of a kind. The refrains are familiar today.
鈥淲e鈥檝e never seen anything like this,鈥� Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said.
It鈥檚 a different game now, but it鈥檚 hard to argue what Carlisle is saying when factoring in the inside-outside game that Wembanyama possesses. There鈥檚 never been a rookie who averaged so many points and rebounds along with one 3-pointer made per game. Larry Bird was the closest; it鈥檚 a small sample size, but Wembanyama is making nearly two 3s per contest so far.
The league is raving about the kid who goes by Wemby, and has been from the moment he got drafted 鈥� long before that night, really. That hasn鈥檛 changed, nor has Wembanyama鈥檚 humble approach.
鈥淓very night is a challenge,鈥� Wembanyama said. 鈥淚鈥檝e still got a lot to prove to my teammates and my coach.鈥�
His coach might disagree.
Gregg Popovich 鈥� the Hall of Famer, the winningest coach in NBA history and someone who just happened to sign a five-year extension shortly after Wembanyama came to the Spurs 鈥� makes no effort to downplay his new star鈥檚 enormous potential.
鈥淭he first thing I would say is that his parents did a very good job,鈥� Popovich said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 one of the most mature 19-year-olds I鈥檝e ever been around. His character is incredible. His view of the world is mature. He understands who he is, he feels comfortable in his own skin. He knows that all the hype that has been pretty thick, everywhere, is something to be ignored. He realizes he has work to do. Talent is talent, but he鈥檚 going to channel that and figure out exactly what his game should be.鈥�
The lessons have come fast and furious in the first two weeks.
Actually, go back a little. Preseason games are largely forgettable in the NBA, but Wembanyama made the Spurs鈥� exhibitions must-see TV. They were spectacles; Golden State guard Stephen Curry 鈥� who is only about a foot shorter than Wembanyama 鈥� added to the circus of it all by trying to jump center in the Warriors鈥� exhibition against the Spurs. Shockingly, Wembanyama won that tip, but that night was a reminder of the spotlight that will shine every time San Antonio plays for the foreseeable future.
鈥淭he guy鈥檚 going to be great,鈥� said Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who entered the league with great fanfare as the highly touted No. 1 pick in 2003 鈥� and watched Wembanyama deal with the same otherworldly expectations 20 years later. 鈥淗e鈥檚 already damn good right now and I think every game, every opportunity he鈥檚 on the floor, he鈥檚 going to continue to get better and better and see the nuances of the game and ways he can play and ways he can exploit the competition. So, he鈥檚 going to be great.鈥�
If he needed a coming-out party, Wembanyama probably had one last week with a pair of wins in Phoenix.
On Oct. 31, the Spurs rallied from 20 points down to beat the Suns 115-114 after trailing for 47-1/2 of the 48 minutes; two nights later, Wembanyama had 38 points and 10 rebounds and the Spurs beat the Suns again, 132-121.
鈥淗e鈥檚 going to be a force in this league for a long time,鈥� Suns forward Kevin Durant said. 鈥淥nce he continues to get experience under his belt, he鈥檚 just going to get even better.鈥�
There have been rough nights as well. The Spurs lost to the Los Angeles Clippers by 40 last week, then lost to Indiana by 41 on Monday night. They became just the second team in NBA history to have two 40-point losses in the first seven games of the season; the other was the 2017-18 Suns, who went on to be the league鈥檚 worst team that year.
The Spurs have decidedly higher aspirations and so does Wembanyama. Popovich has never been one for false or effusive praise, but already raves about Wembanyama鈥檚 coachability, his relationships with teammates, his outlook on life and calls him 鈥渁 very special young man.鈥�
鈥淗e just comes to work every day, just like every other player,鈥� Popovich said. 鈥淵ou have a system and he鈥檚 got to learn it. He鈥檚 got to learn the league. He鈥檚 never played against any of these guys or with any of these guys on our team. It鈥檚 just a process. There鈥檚 no formula. You just try not to skip any steps. Luckily, he鈥檚 an intelligent, coachable young man and he鈥檒l eventually get there. He will be a great player. But he鈥檚 got some learning to do first, just like any other player.鈥�
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba