The defeats pile up but the Wembanyama fashion effect does not weaken. Sunday, after a 12th consecutive defeat (132-120) (14 in total, for 3 victories) against Denver, Victor Wembanyama who had signed a solid statistics sheet (22 points at 7/17 shooting, including 2/5 at 3 points; 11 rebounds; 2 assists; 6 steals and 4 blocks in 25 minutes) saw his performance praised by Nikola Jokic (author of 39 points): “He plays hard and doesn’t give up. He makes mistakes, which is normal. I think the media attention he’s getting isn’t helping. But he will get used to it because he is 19 years old. He will change the game, 100%. He is already on this path. So sit back and enjoy the show.”
Jokic, like others, had to be patient before establishing himself as a successful dominant player in the NBA.
After 17 matches, Victor Wembanyama, the French phenomenon, averages 19.2 points (he is in the Top 50 best scorers in the League, 49th) accompanied by 9.5 rebounds; 2.6 assists; 2.6 blocks and 1.3 interceptions.
Parallel rise, the other rising star of the NBA, the American Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City), also a candidate for the title of “Rookie of the year”, did not miss his debut (18.1 points on average with 43 .8% 3-point success; 8.4 rebounds). OKC (2nd in the West), has 11 victories (5 defeats). The remote match will continue.
Followed, waited, Wembanyama learns, hardens. Without worrying about the spiral of defeats which sticks the Spurs to last place in the Western Conference. Wembanyama remains a special player. “I don’t see anyone like him in the NBA,” Kevin Durant (Phoenix) assured at the beginning of November.