Victor Wembanyama believes the NBA is less physical than his former French league as he adjusts to life with the San Antonio Spurs.
The French prospect endured a difficult debut in Las Vegas as he struggled in the loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday - but his follow-up performance suggested the hype is real. Against the Blazers, Wembanyama showcased his all-round ability as he scored 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting to go with 12 rebounds and three blocks as the Spurs fell 85-80 to Portland.
The first overall pick in last month’s 2023 NBA Draft, Wembanyama has entered the league as one of the most hyped prospects in history. The 7-foot-4 phenom left NBA scouts salivating as he starred for Metropolitans 92 last season, with the Parisian team coming agonisingly close to a championship.
Wembanyama played a total of 62 games last year as the team reached the French League Finals where they lost to Monaco. He played in all 34 league contests, averaging 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 3.0 blocks per game in the French League as he led the league in scoring, rebound and blocks en-route to winning MVP.
His performances ensured he was selected first overall by the Spurs in last month’s NBA Draft, and Wembanyama is adjusting to life in the NBA via the Summer League. The 19-year-old discussed the differences between playing professionally in France compared to in the NBA, suggesting it is more physical in Europe.
“First of all, the court is more open,” Wembanyama told reporters. “It’s going fast, but it’s less physical. I get fouled a lot but not as much…nothing to compare. Here, players are just flying. Out there, it’s more on the ground, pushing on the ground, big box outs. Here, it’s great athletes - the best in the world - with way more talent, but I like this better though.”
International players who began their careers overseas before dominating the NBA have become more common in recent years, with Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee Bucks powerhouse Giannis Antetokounmpo winning multiple MVP awards as well as an NBA championships. Luka Doncic is a megastar for the Dallas Mavericks, and all three players started in Serbia, Greece and Slovenia respectively before being drafted.
Wembanyama will hope to add his name to that growing list as he gets to work with the Spurs. On Friday, he surprisingly struggled in his first taste of NBA action in Sin City against the Charlotte Hornets as he shot 2-for-13 from the field, missing seven of his first eight shots. Wembanyama struggled to shoot the ball and often appeared overpowered in the paint as the Spurs fell 76-68.
On Sunday in his second Summer League game, the Spurs were down by 16 points entering the fourth quarter against the Blazers but cut the lead to one with just under two minutes remaining following a three from Wembanyama. Portland held on to clinch the win, but the 19-year-old’s performance suggested his struggles against the Hornets can be attributed to inexperience rather than a lack of quality.
Wembanyama understands the rest of the offseason is crucial to his development, and he hopes to learn as much as possible from head coach Gregg Popovich. He said: “I just know that as I'm not playing in the World Cup, I’ve got two to three months - two to three great months - that are coming up and they're going to change my life.”
Wembanyama may sit out the rest of Summer League, but the Spurs return to action against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. The French star may want to take part as the Wizards drafted his Metropolitans 92 teammate Bilal Coulibaly seventh overall, setting up a reunion of sorts.
