Tag: Victor Wembanyama

30 Minutes of Victor Wembanyama highlights from first Spurs season

Check out 30 minutes of Victor Wembanyama highlights from his first season with the San Antonio Spurs.

The San Antonio Spurs just wrapped up their 2023-24 campaign, but more notably, Victor Wembanyama just finished his first year of NBA action. Heading into the season, expectations for the Frenchman were through the roof, yet he still found a way to exceed them. Wembanyama was incredible nearly every step of the way.

He helped the Spurs improve drastically throughout the course of the season, culminating in them winning seven of their last 11 games. His offense came a long way, but it was his defense that stood out the most, as Wembanyama led the league in blocks in just his rookie season.

It seemed as though there was a new Wembanyama highlight to enjoy every single day. The GD’s Highlights YouTube channel compiled 30 minutes worth of Wembanyama highlights from his first season in the league.

If this season was any indication, Wembanyama is going to be an absolute force for the Spurs for years to come.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Spurs GM Brian Wright on how to build around Victor Wembanyama

San Antonio Spurs GM Brian Wright says there’s more than one successful way to build around Victor Wembanyama.

When the San Antonio Spurs won the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery, their future was set. At least, a big part of it was. They won the right to select Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick, and that’s exactly what they did. And throughout his rookie season, Wembanyama hasn’t just lived up to the hyped surrounding him, he’s exceeded it.

Now, the Spurs face the challenging task of building a successful team around Wembanyama. With how great the big man is, winning with him may not prove to be too difficult, but putting the perfect set of talent around him won’t be easy. They need to take a careful approach and figure out what works best for both Wembanyama and the team.

That said, Spurs GM Brian Wright recently spoke about how there isn’t one single way to build around Wembanyama. (H/t Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News)

“I don’t know that there’s one blueprint,” Wright said. “He’s so dynamic that I think you can build the thing in a lot of different ways and so we’ve got to keep chipping away with that.”

This summer should be all about finding the right team to help Wembanyama win both now and for the foreseeable future.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama named one of NBA’s biggest winners of ’23-24 season

The 7-foot-4 forward has indeed had one of the best rookie seasons in league history.

San Antonio Spurs rookie big man Victor Wembanyama has been named one of the NBA’s biggest winners of the 2023-24 NBA season by Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey. The 7-foot-4 forward has indeed had one of the best rookie seasons in league history, so it’s no surprise to see him cast so — as Bailey acknowledges.

“Wembanyama adjusted to the speed and athleticism of the NBA game faster than just about anyone could’ve predicted, and now the rest of the league has to be concerned about the future,” writes the B/R analyst of the French wunderkind. “Wemby can shoot from seemingly anywhere.”

“He drilled a dribble pull-up 3 from several feet behind the line during the comeback against the (Denver) Nuggets. He’s already perhaps the game’s most feared rim protector.”

“Beyond leading the NBA in blocks per game, he forced tons of about-faces from would-be drivers,” adds Bailey. “He’s an underrated playmaker and cheat code around the rim too.”

“The hype surrounding Wembanyama coming into this season was unreal. That he’s already exceeding it is even harder to believe. As a rookie, he’s made it clear he’ll be a perennial MVP candidate, and that could start as early as next season.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

What do French NBA fans think of Victor Wembanyama’s rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs?

What are Wemby’s fellow French fans of the sport thinking about his debut season in the league?

The San Antonio Spurs’ 2023-24 NBA season was really only about one thing: getting to know French rookie forward Phenom Victor Wembanyama and getting familiar with what brings out the best of the 7-foot-4 wunderkind.

Now, after the conclusion of the Spurs’ regular season campaign, it is safe to say that the world has come to know just how good Wemby already is — and it has us all drooling for what the San Antonio big man will soon be able to do in the NBA. But what about his countrymen? What are Wemby’s fellow French fans of the sport thinking about his debut season in the league?

To answer that question, the host of the “Locked On Spurs” podcast, Jeff Garcia, linked up with French Spurs reporter Vincent Pialat of Le Parisien to give the pulse of the French fan base on Victor Wembanyama’s rookie season.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama’s end of season media availability

Will San Antonio’s 2024-25 season be the campaign that sees the French big man put it all together?

The San Antonio Spurs have completed all 82 games of their 2023-24 NBA season, their first with French rookie forward Victor Wembanyama. And while it did not end in a run at the play-in tournament or even playoffs as some had hoped they would, it did see the meteoric rise of Wemby in terms of a defensive player.

Now, the gangly forward is a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate in the same season he started out shaky on that end of the court. Will San Antonio’s 2024-25 season be the campaign that sees the French big man put it all together?

The big question in front of the Spurs’ front office is which players on the roster make sense to bring back with Wembanyama — and which players not on the roster should they be targeting.

San Antonio put together a clip of Wemby’s words at the end of the season and ahead of all the incoming changes. Check it out for yourself above!

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Gregg Popovich says Victor Wembanyama is mad about sitting out

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said that Victor Wembanyama was mad about sitting out.

The San Antonio Spurs have nothing to play for down the stretch of the season. They have been eliminated from playoff contention for weeks now, so the most important thing for the remainder of the year should be the health of their players. They need to ensure that their guys are good moving forward.

On Wednesday night, the Spurs took on the Oklahoma City Thunder and got crushed. Oklahoma City is fighting for the top seed in the Eastern Conference, so they are a full go right now. And to make matters more difficult, the Spurs were without Victor Wembanyama, much to his dismay.

After the game, head coach Gregg Popovich said that Wembanyama isn’t pleased about sitting out. (H/t ESPN)

“I feel badly because he’s not a happy camper right now,” Popovich said. \ “He wants to be out there, but I’m looking at the long view. And, you know, we’ve had some trouble with this particular injury during the season.”

The Spurs lost by a score of 127-89 in an absolute blowout.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Sean Elliott: Victor Wembanyama doesn’t care for the outside noise about him

Known by many for the Memorial Day Miracle, two-time All-Star Sean Elliott has been a beloved figure in the San Antonio community for decades and served as the Spurs’ color commentator for quite some time. On behalf of Fresenius Kidney Care, Elliott …

Known by many for the Memorial Day Miracle, two-time All-Star Sean Elliott has been a beloved figure in the San Antonio community for decades and served as the Spurs’ color commentator for quite some time.

On behalf of Fresenius Kidney Care, Elliott spoke with HoopsHype about the unicorn Victor Wembanyama, the potential for the Spurs, kidney disease awareness, and more.

Full injury report for Wednesday’s Spurs vs. Thunder matchup

Full injury report for Wednesday’s Spurs vs. Thunder matchup.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. It’s the second night of a home back-to-back for OKC as it concludes its regular season with a four-game homestand.

The Thunder (54-25) will be without one of their regular starters. Lu Dort (rest) is out. Gordon Hayward (posterior tibialis strain) is questionable. Jaylin Williams (back contusion) is questionable.

Ousmane Dieng (G League assignment) is out. Keyontae Johnson (G League two-way) is out. Olivier (G League two-way) is out.

Meanwhile, the Spurs (20-59) have a lengthy injury report. Victor Wembanyama (ankle injury management) is out. Jeremy Sochan (ankle impingement) is out. Devin Vassell (metatarsal head stress reaction) is out.

Keldon Johnson (foot sprain) is out. Cedi Osman (ankle sprain) is out. Dominick Barlow (knee bone bruise) is out. Charles Bassey (ACL tear) is out. Malaki Branham (hip contusion) is questionable.

OKC hopes to extend their win streak to three after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 40 points put them over the top against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

San Antonio is also on the second night of a back-to-back. It collected an easy win over the depleted Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.

This will be the final matchup between the Thunder and Spurs this season. OKC won the first two contests but was upset by San Antonio in their last time out on Feb. 29.

Tip off from Oklahoma City is set for 7 p.m. CT.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Here’s Victor Wembanyama’s case for Defensive Player of the Year folded up into one play against the Grizzlies

Nobody else in the NBA can do this. Nobody.

It feels like every single night Victor Wembanyama does something on the basketball court that we’ve never seen before. A 7-foot-5 dude doing a Shammgod into a spin into a layup just doesn’t make sense.

But what if I told you that might not even be the most impressive thing he did in that game alone? Because it legitimately might not be.

There’s been a debate about who should win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award this year. Rudy Gobert is the front-runner at this point in the year, and rightfully so, considering how impressive the Timberwolves’ defense has been this year.

But listen, man. Say what you want. Rudy Gobert isn’t blowing up a 3-on-1 fastbreak without lifting a finger like Victor Wembanyama did against the Grizzlies.

RELATED: Victor Wembanyama’s shot at Rudy Gobert shows how competitive he is

Look at this.

Dude. This is unreal. There’s no world where this is not supposed to be a bucket for the team with the ball.

The Grizzlies are just all so terrified of Wembanyama at the rim that they completely fumble this. It’s wild.

Rudy Gobert is probably going to win DPOY this year. And, again, if he does it’s well deserved. But if you want to make a case for Victor Wembanyama? This play should be at the front of the PowerPoint presentation.

Victor Wembanyama pulled off a breathtaking spin move and dunk against the Grizzlies

WEMBY

Every now and again, San Antonio Spurs rookie phenomenon Victor Wembanyama does something that makes you just laugh because only one basketball player on Earth can really do it.

On Tuesday night in Memphis, Wembanyama pulled off yet another incredible highlight that underscored what a truly generational talent he really is.

While driving the ball on Memphis Grizzlies center Trey Jemison, Wembanyama put the defender in a blender by hitting him with a beautiful spin move before effortlessly dunking the ball for two points.

We’re really not sure how someone as tall as Wembanyama can just put down a spin move like that and dunk the ball within a few seconds of each other.

Honestly, we’re really not sure how Wemby does much of what he does on the court. It’s what makes him the special player he is.

The more Wembanyama keeps this up, the more he’s going to build his case for easily the most promising young player in the NBA.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1373]