‘Already the best in the league’ – Victor Wembanyama returns home and lights up Paris tying franchise great in performance
The French superstar returned home and delivered. Victor Wembanyama grew up right outside of Paris, France and spent five years playing in the French basketball league. Wembanyama was by far the best player on the court and it wasn’t closeGetty View Tweet: https://t.co/wEEwDpzVkM On Thursday night he returned to the place where he learned to play basketball and proceeded to put on a show for his home country and the 15,935 fans in attendance. The San Antonio Spurs superstar helped lead his team to a dominant 140-110 win over the Indiana Pacers in Accor Arena in Paris. Wembanyama dropped 30 points to go with 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocks. “Tonight was definitely different,” Wembanyama said. “It’s a different kind of support that the crowd brings. “We try to use the circumstances to our advantage every time, and tonight was an easy night to use that.” He tied Hall of Famer, and best player in franchise history, Tim Duncan, with four games of at least 30/10/5/5b. Duncan played 19 seasons in the NBA, all with San Antonio. Wembanyama hasn’t even played in two full seasons. Yet he’s already matched Duncan. Wembanyama received an over-whelming amount of love and support from the French crowdGetty Fans have already started calling the 7-foot-3 star the best player in the league. Forget Nikola Jokić. Forget Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The fans want Wemby. There is no question who the future face of the NBA is. In fact, that future may be now. The 21-year-old has been everything and more since stepping foot into the league. “I think in the case of Victor, as I said, he’s exceeded my expectations,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said before the game. “And I would just say it’s a pleasure to be part of a league with Victor Wembanyama.” While Wemby is the heavy favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, make his first All-Star game and potentially All-NBA honors, his team still has a ways to go. The Spurs are currently below .500, sitting at 20-22. Good for 12th in the Western Conference. Not good. They are just 4-6 in their last 10 games. While Wembanyama ascends to the top of the league, it’s on the Spurs’ front office and entire organization to build a contender around him. He’s good enough already. The lone questions remains, is his team?
The French superstar returned home and delivered.
Victor Wembanyama grew up right outside of Paris, France and spent five years playing in the French basketball league.
On Thursday night he returned to the place where he learned to play basketball and proceeded to put on a show for his home country and the 15,935 fans in attendance.
The San Antonio Spurs superstar helped lead his team to a dominant 140-110 win over the Indiana Pacers in Accor Arena in Paris.
Wembanyama dropped 30 points to go with 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocks.
“Tonight was definitely different,” Wembanyama said.
“It’s a different kind of support that the crowd brings.
“We try to use the circumstances to our advantage every time, and tonight was an easy night to use that.”
He tied Hall of Famer, and best player in franchise history, Tim Duncan, with four games of at least 30/10/5/5b.
Duncan played 19 seasons in the NBA, all with San Antonio.
Wembanyama hasn’t even played in two full seasons.
Yet he’s already matched Duncan.
Fans have already started calling the 7-foot-3 star the best player in the league.
Forget Nikola Jokić.
Forget Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The fans want Wemby.
There is no question who the future face of the NBA is.
In fact, that future may be now.
The 21-year-old has been everything and more since stepping foot into the league.
“I think in the case of Victor, as I said, he’s exceeded my expectations,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said before the game.
“And I would just say it’s a pleasure to be part of a league with Victor Wembanyama.”
While Wemby is the heavy favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, make his first All-Star game and potentially All-NBA honors, his team still has a ways to go.
The Spurs are currently below .500, sitting at 20-22.
Good for 12th in the Western Conference.
Not good.
They are just 4-6 in their last 10 games.
While Wembanyama ascends to the top of the league, it’s on the Spurs’ front office and entire organization to build a contender around him.
He’s good enough already.
The lone questions remains, is his team?
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