On Thursday night, the San Antonio Spurs went toe to toe with the Milwaukee Bucks, the current holders of the third-best record in the NBA. Led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Bucks were able to hang on and earn a 125-121 win over the Spurs, but Victor Wembanyama made sure it wasn’t easy.
The Spurs rookie was absolutely dominant on both sides of the ball but particularly effective on defense. His shot-blocking came in clutch for the Spurs, as he picked up a couple of nasty rejections down the stretch, ensuring that the Spurs would have a chance to win heading into the final moments of the game.
After the contest, Wembanyama spoke about his competitive fire, noting that every time he steps onto the court, he wants “to be the bad guy.”
“I’m a competitor, so I want to go at everyone and be the bad guy on the court,” Wembanyama said via ESPN. “It was a great matchup.”
Wembanyama ended the night with 27 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one steal, and five blocks while shooting 10-of-18 from the field and 2-of-8 from behind the three-point line.
His impact on the defensive end was insane to watch, highlighted by a crazy block on Antetokounmpo at the rim in the final minute of the game.
The Spurs haven’t been winning a ton of games this season, but Wembanyama is clearly a guy they should feel comfortable building around. He doesn’t just have the talent, but he also has the mindset.
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