Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs has conflicting emotions heading into All-Star weekend.
INDIANAPOLIS: Victor Wembanyama, the rookie sensation for the Spurs, has such a positive personality. His 27-point, 14-rebound, 10-block triple-double in a victory over Toronto this week was just one example.
He was modest and funny when he mentioned that he was only three turnovers and five assists away from recording a quintuple-double. When he kindly responded to an off-topic inquiry regarding competing in a competition in Barcelona in 2018, he demonstrated patience. He showed his appreciation to Barbara Martin, the principal of his French high school who is currently a teacher in Toronto, when they met outside the locker room.
And when questioned about taking part in All-Star weekend, he answered honestly.
It’s amazing, he declared. “It is a great experience, but it would have been even greater if I was on the All-Star team.”
Wembanyama doesn’t sugarcoat his excitement at being a part of the Rising Stars mini-tournament and skills challenge in Indianapolis, but he’s also a little bummed that he’s not the main attraction.
Devin Vassel of the Spurs said, “(Being an All-Star) is a big ask coming in as a rookie.” “However, I believe he sets and is accustomed to these kinds of expectations for himself.”
One could argue that the 7-foot-3 center ought to have made history in 2011 by being the first rookie All-Star since Blake Griffin.
First off, after averaging 20.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and an NBA-best 3.2 blocks per game in 49 games while shooting 32.0% from three-point range and 46.8% from the field, Wembanyama is the front-runner for rookie of the year.
The No. 1 overall pick became the first player in league history to record 75 3-pointers, 150 assists, and 150 blocks in a single season. He also recorded two rare triple doubles, one with 10 assists against Detroit and the other with 10 blocks against the Raptors. In addition, he became one of only two players since blocks were first tracked in 1973–74 to have at least 1,000 points and 150 blocks in their first 50 career games, along with Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd remarked on Wednesday, “He’s had an incredible rookie year,” before Wembanyama played 27 minutes and finished with 26 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks in the Spurs’ 116-93 loss to the Mavericks.
Kidd went on, “There were a lot of high expectations.” “He did a good job with that. He’s in an excellent position. Tim Duncan and Robinson are two former big men for this team who went on to become Hall of Famers. He did a fantastic job. He is the only one who can make certain plays, both defensively and offensively.
Wembanyama’s statistics are made even more remarkable by the fact that he achieved them while playing a large portion of the season with limited minutes in order to protect his right ankle.
Wembanyama can anticipate a gradual increase in his playing time when the Spurs return from their break, according to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
Popovich stated, “He’s still at 27, 28 or something like that.” The numbers he’s getting for those few minutes are incredible, but we’ve determined that’s the best course of action for him at this time.
Nevertheless, we’ll probably increase it a little bit toward the end of the season.
Wembanyama will not be participating in the main event on Sunday night, but his play suggests he will soon have many opportunities to be named an All-Star, particularly if the Spurs (11-44) resume winning.
“Seeing what he’s going to look like in the next three or four years, our team chemistry, and how me and him play as a duo is going to look is going to be scary,” Vassell remarked. It’s unique and fascinating. Here we have something worthwhile.”
The Spurs have a bright future ahead of them, but Popovich is not in a rush to advance Wembanyama.
“Every young player needs time to develop experience, habits, and consistency, even with their talent,” the coach stated. It was just a few weeks ago that he turned 20. We’re not rushing. With him, we don’t want to omit any steps. Plus, he’s a willing student, which is advantageous.
Wembanyama has been hoping to attend All-Star weekend for a long time. He grew up in France, so the show was a must-see on television.
“The most significant one was the dunk competition between Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon,” Wembanyama remarked, alluding to a titanic match that took place in Toronto in 2016. “It was simply amazing.”
Wembanyama has no plans to attend any parties because of his “intense but fun” schedule in Indianapolis. However, he will attend the league’s think-tank, the Tech Summit, which takes place on Friday morning and marks the beginning of the All-Star festivities.
Regarding missing the parties, he remarked, “I’m not gonna have time.”
Friday night’s Rising Stars tournament, which serves as a showcase for the league’s young talent, will take place first.
Wembanyama, who will play alongside his close friend and rookie Bilal Coulibaly of Washington on a team led by Hall of Famer and former Spur Pau Gasol, said, “It’s going to be crazy to be part of that event.”
Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, who harassed Raptors All-Star Scottie Barnes into an awful shooting night, is also participating in the Rising Stars event. Sochan may face Wembanyama because he will be a member of a team led by former Indiana Pacers player Jalen Rose.Wembanyama remarked of Sochan, “You can count on your fingers how many guys can guard like him in this league.” Even though he is only a sophomore, he is such a valuable asset. He still has a lot more to display.”
Wembanyama is scheduled to participate in the skills challenge on “Team Top Picks” on Saturday night. The other two members of the team are Orlando forward Paolo Banchero and Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards.
When Wembanyama learned that fellow Frenchman and Spurs Hall of Famer Tony Parker had won the 2012 Skills Challenge in Orlando, he said, “I hope I can continue the Spurs legacy.”
Wembanyama will also have the chance to spend more time with some of his basketball idols in Indianapolis, including a few he’s already faced a few times this season.
Popovich stated, “He’s going to be exposed to all those players all in the same place.” “He will integrate into that level of players’ family.”
Wembanyama hinted that All-Star weekend will function as a kind of networking opportunity for him when he said, “sharing experiences is always good.”
“Some guys have experienced comparable circumstances to myself, a comparable journey,” he remarked. The best and the stars treat me with a great deal of respect since they understand what I’m going through. It’s wonderful to see that some guys are better individuals than athletes.”
And he’ll probably be playing with them in an All-Star game soon.
