Tag: Victor Wembanyama

It would have been shocking if Scoot Henderson sat out until the NBA Draft, as some execs feared

“Several NBA executives in Las Vegas declared they would be surprised if Henderson played in another game this season.”

NBA draft prospect Scoot Henderson will return to the court for the G League Ignite after an 11-game absence.

Henderson is widely considered the best guard in the 2023 NBA Draft, and he played well during a pre-season exhibition game against projected No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama. Henderson, however, hadn’t played since Nov. 18 and missed time after suffering a nasal fracture.

According to Jonathan Givony, his absence has led some decision-makers around the NBA to wonder when and even if he would return to the court this season (via ESPN):

“G League officials said he is being held out due to an abundance of caution as the risk of soft tissue damage is exponentially higher after suffering a concussion and their performance staff wants “to protect his body for his long-term goals.”

Several NBA executives in Las Vegas declared they would be surprised if Henderson played in another game this season because he’s all but assured of being a top-3 pick.

That thinking was shot down emphatically by G League Ignite officials, who said Henderson is an elite competitor who refuses to entertain that type of discussion and will be back on the court soon.”

Even though such speculation was inaccurate, it wouldn’t have been an unreasonable decision by Henderson. The 18-year-old is a rising star who already has a sneaker deal with Puma and he has little left to prove to hear his name as one of the first picks in the 2023 NBA Draft.

There were questions about whether or not Wembanyama, too, would shut it down for the season after dominating against the G League Ignite. His agent, however, said that Wembanyama would have no interest in that because the prospect “wants to compete” and get better.

Last season, Shaedon Sharpe never played a minute for Kentucky but was still selected at No. 7 overall. Henderson’s former G League Ignite teammate Jaden Hardy, meanwhile, was projected as a top draft pick before the season but fell to the second round after a disappointing campaign.

Which side of the coin does Henderson more closely resemble? Based on reporting from Mirin Fader, from a conversation months before the injury, it seemed more likely the latter (via The Ringer):

He watches his idol, Kobe Bryant, too, inspired by why Kobe played so hard, even through injury. Kobe once said that there might be somebody who saved up their money to fly in from somewhere, and can only come to see him that one game. Scoot has embraced that sentiment, not wanting to disappoint that one person.

“When you come see me,” Scoot says, “you gonna see a show.”

Henderson admires Bryant’s willingness to play through injuries, so it would have been very surprising for him to shut down his season unless the injury required as much.

According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, meanwhile, those around Henderson raved about his “internal drive” during the G League Showcase in Las Vegas. He told Scotto that he has a “competitive spirit” and that he wants to be the No. 1 overall pick.

As one scout told Raphael Barlowe, some decision-makers feel that it is very important to show that type of competitive edge during the pre-draft process (via NBA Big Board):

“I wouldn’t want a player on my team who opted not to play because he was more concerned about the NBA draft than competing. I see both sides of it, but it’s selfish. Selfish on the player’s part and selfish of the agent to even suggest a kid to sit out with an injury that isn’t close to season-ending.”

Henderson’s injury was not one that would be considered season-ending, though, so fans should have always expected Henderson to return to the court sooner rather than later.

Henderson needed the recovery time to limit exacerbating his injury with soft tissue damage after not playing full contact. But now, he has had that time and it will help ensure that he is as prepared as possible for the next steps of what is likely going to be a long career in the NBA.

Especially for those as talented as he is, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Note: This story was updated at 4:15 PM EST on Dec. 27.

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Wembenyama Wednesday: New footage of Victor and Scoot Henderson is an NBA fan’s dream

This was such fun insight into the historic scrimmage.

Welcome to Wembanyama Wednesdays, our new recurring weekly post that will provide you with everything you need to know about Victor Wembanyama, the once-in-a-generation talent coming to an NBA team soon.

The NBA G League released the first episode of an 8-part docuseries “The Break, Presented by The General” and the first episode details the exhibition match between Scoot Henderson and Victor Wembanyama.

This series premiere includes never-before-seen footage of the preseason showdown. The on-court camera angles are gorgeous and provide a closer look at the historic scrimmage that began the rivalry between Henderson and Wembanyama.

The face that Wembanyama makes after blocking Henderson’s shot at the 6-minute, 28-second mark was particularly incredible. Overall, this was a very fun look at what proved to be a historic duel between two phenomenal NBA draft prospects.

You can watch the full episode, featuring Wembanyama, on YouTube:

Here’s more Wembenyama content to enjoy:

Mock trade sends Alex Caruso to Warriors as Bulls tank for Wembanyama

Caruso would bolster Milwaukee’s depth as Chicago starts to rebuild.

The Chicago Bulls are off to a 9-12 start to the season as they sit as the No. 12 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Compared to the beginning of last season, the Bulls are off to a complete opposite start as they’ve struggled out the gate with the same core group from last season.

Looking up at the top of the East, the Bulls’ chances of making a run in the playoffs seems slim, let alone just making the postseason — which could call for a potential blow up of the current roster.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons put together three proposed trades for the Bulls to rebuild their team and focus on the future, including sending Alex Caruso to the defending champs for young pieces and a pick.

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Victor Wembanyama shows off his trademark one-legged 3-pointer in his latest absurd play

Wemby is at it again.

It’s no secret that French forward Victor Wembanyama is one of the most physically gifted NBA draft prospects we’ve seen in a very long time.

The 7-foot-3 18-year-old simply looks like he’s playing the game on easy mode, and he has a deep bag of tricks for his team, the Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A — the highest level of professional basketball in France.

Perhaps the most iconic move in his repertoire is his recently added running, one-legged three-point shot, which simply looks unfair when executed well. Wemanyama pulled it off once again on Friday afternoon, and you better believe the clip made the rounds on NBA Twitter.

Here’s another angle of the unbelievable shot.

It looks like this kid is just playing a different sport, and he’s going to make some NBA team very happy in a few months. Wembanyama is universally considered to be the top prospect in the 2023 NBA draft, and some observers even see him as the most intriguing prospect since LeBron James was coming out of high school.

With plays like these, it’s easy to see why.

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Proposed trade sends DeRozan, Vucevic to Lakers for Westbrook, picks

Bill Simmons of The Ringer proposes a full fledge tank for the Bulls.

The Chicago Bulls are off to a 9-12 start to the season as they sit as the No. 12 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Compared to the beginning of last season, the Bulls are off to a complete opposite start as they’ve struggled out the gate with the same core group from last season.

Looking up at the top of the East, the Bulls’ chances of making a run in the playoffs seems slim, let alone just making the postseason — which could call for a potential blow up of the current roster.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons put together three proposed trades for the Bulls to rebuild their team and focus on the future, including one blockbuster that sends DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic to the Lakers.

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Wembanyama Wednesday: Stop comparing Bol and Wemby, start imagining them on the same team

Imagine the lengthiest team to ever exist.

Welcome to Wembanyama Wednesdays, our new recurring weekly post that will provide you with everything you need to know about Victor Wembanyama, the once-in-a-generation talent coming to an NBA team soon.

Victor Wembanyama is the best basketball prospect we’ve seen since LeBron James. Bol Bol is a former second-round pick. It’s apples and oranges.

But after a recent hot streak from Bol, in which his highlights looked like he was playing a totally different sport, it’s become in vogue to compare the two players. The latest to do as much is Paolo Banchero, who was just selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Banchero spoke to Michael Scotto about the comparisons (via HoopsHype):

“Everyone talks about the Victor dude from France,” Magic star Paolo Banchero told HoopsHype when asked who compares to Bol. “I’m not trying to compare them, but Bol’s 7-foot-2, shoots threes, brings it up the court, makes passes, and blocks shots. I feel like people kind of forget about him, but Bol’s a freak of nature.”

Banchero said he isn’t trying to compare the two players, and it’s sort of a fool’s errand to compare their numbers considering they play in drastically different leagues and they’re at different stages of their development.

But if everyone is making the comparisons, sure, let’s look at the numbers.

NAME HT/WS WT  FG% RIM% 3P% FT% REB% AST% PPP BLK%
Wemby 7’4″ / 8’0″  229 lbs 50.3% 74.1% 31.0% 74.6% 17.9% 13.5% 1.12 10.5%
Bol 7’2″ / 7’8″ 220 lbs 60.1% 81.6% 41.9% 76.7% 16.7% 5.5% 1.11 6.9%


(Note that all stats are pulled from RealGM and Synergy on Nov. 30, 2022) 

Wembanyama has a much higher usage rate than Bol and he creates his own shot far more often in isolation and off the dribble.

But otherwise, keeping all of the factors at play in mind, the numbers do look fairly similar. Here are some of the tweets where others have made the same observation — although some may be facetious.

Even though he was a second-round pick back in 2019, Bol was actually considered a higher-rated recruit than Zion Williamson.

Bol didn’t pan out for the Nuggets, unfortunately, but he has since had a career resurgence playing for the Magic.

Based on ESPN’s BPI, Orlando is projected to have a 37.1% chance of landing one of the first three picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. Teams that land within the top three then have a 14% chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick.

Later, we’ll get to some of the other teams who have aspirations of drafting Wembanyama. But until then, let’s daydream about Wembanyama joining the lengthiest team in the NBA playing alongside Bol, Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Mo Bamba.

Isn’t that fun?

Where to watch Victor Wembanyama’s games?

For too many teams around the league, this season may be about Victor Wembanyama. The 7-foot-3 French phenom is not only the overwhelming favorite for No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, but also one of the most hyped prospects this century. To make sure …

For too many teams around the league, this season may be about Victor Wembanyama. The 7-foot-3 French phenom is not only the overwhelming favorite for No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, but also one of the most hyped prospects this century.

To make sure fans and GMs don’t miss anything on Wembanyama, we’ve created this tracker to follow how he’s doing in his official games this year for French LNB team Metropolitans 92, including a link to comfortably watch the games from home (or the office).

Wembanyama Wednesday: Giannis Antetokounmpo thinks Vic will be a ‘big problem’ for other NBA players

“When this kid comes, get ready.”

Welcome to Wembanyama Wednesdays, our new recurring weekly post that will provide you with everything you need to know about Victor Wembanyama, the once-in-a-generation talent coming to an NBA team soon.

Victor Wembanyama made his debut for the French national team, and the fervor for the 18-year-old NBA prospect is only getting stronger.

The latest to join the craze is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is one of Wembanyama’s favorite players. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar told his teammate Serge Ibaka said he was actually able to watch Wembanyama play in person, and he was blown away.

You can tell how genuinely inspired Antetokounmpo is by Wembanyama:

Here is what the two-time NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP had to say:

 “When this kid comes, get ready. If you’re not ready, this kid is going to be a problem … Big problem … I’ve never seen this before in my life. I saw him up close, he was on the same team as my brother Kostas. He’s taller than Rudy Gobert … but he can block shots like Rudy — but shoot like KD. Bro, bro, crazy … And he has a good attitude. If he stays healthy, he’s going to be really good.”

Watch some of Wembanyama’s latest highlights, and you’ll see exactly what Antetokounmpo is talking about.

Lakers fear bad record will send Victor Wembanyama to Pelicans

In addition to dealing with a 3-10 record, the Lakers are starting to fear a nightmare scenario could play itself out.

One of the more interesting subplots of this NBA season is which team will end up with the top pick in next June’s draft and have the opportunity to draft French phenom Victor Wembanyama.

The 7-foot-2 18-year-old (he actually says he’s 7-foot-3 in bare feet) has shown remarkable skills for someone his height and age. Many believe he is a generational talent who could become a Hall of Famer.

With a 3-10 record, the Los Angeles Lakers are in serious danger of missing the playoffs, but it gets even worse. If they do miss the playoffs and are awarded the first pick in the 2023 draft, that pick would go to the New Orleans Pelicans.

As part of 2019’s Anthony Davis trade, L.A. agreed to give the Pelicans the right to swap picks with it in 2023.

According to Marc Stein, the Lakers organization is starting to fear its poor play could end up delivering Wembanyama to the Pelicans.

Via Marc Stein Substack:

“There is already a palpable fear inside (what I still like to call) Staples Center that the Purple & Gold are careening toward a draft in June in which the New Orleans Pelicans are gleefully positioned to swap picks with L.A. as a condition of the Anthony Davis blockbuster deal in July 2019.”

That outcome would be the worst-case scenario for the Lakers, and it would make their front office, which is already seen with pity and contempt across the league, look even more incompetent.

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Victor Wembanyama helps France claim FIBA World Cup berth with 19-point effort

Wembanyama averaged 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in two FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying games with France.

Projected No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama neared 20 points on Monday to lead the French national team to a win and a berth in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Wembanyama produced a team-high 19 points, four rebounds, two steals, two blocks and one assist in 24 minutes of work in the 92-56 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. He went 7-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range.

The 7-foot-4 center was active on both ends of the court and was dominant in the paint. He used his size and skill to outwork the opposition and connected with his teammates on a few lobs. He even hit a one-legged 3-pointer early in the game.

The outing was the second for Wembanyama with France. He debuted with the senior team on Friday in a win over Lithuania, recording 20 points, nine rebounds, one assist and one steal. France won both games in the fifth qualifying window to improve to 8-2.

France, along with Lithuania (8-2), will advance to the FIBA Basketball World Cup from Group K. The top three teams from each group earn tickets to the tournament. Montenegro (6-4), Bosnia and Herzegovina (5-5) and Hungary (5-5) remain in contention for the final berth.

The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup will run from Aug. 25-Sept. 10.

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