The NBA Summer League kicked off last Friday with eight games featuring 16 teams, but the full house in the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus was basically there to see one player who has yet to play a real NBA game.
That player is 7-foot, 3-inch Victor Wembanyama, the first player picked in the NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs a few weeks earlier. The Frenchman got the loudest introduction in his game against the Charlotte Hornets and there was a buzz every time he touched the ball.
By the time the game ended, Wembanyama had notched 9 points on 2-of-13 shooting, but also pulled down eight rebounds with five blocked shots and three assist. The Spurs won the game, 76-68.
Of course, besides being the No. 1 pick and a rookie phenom, Wembanyama was also in the news after a member of his security team was accused of slapping Brittany Spears in a Las Vegas casino earlier in the week. After reviewing video footage, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department decided not to press charges.
The next day, at NBA Con, Wembanyama took the stage with NBA Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Isiah Thomas and talked about his experience so far.
“As of today, I’m just a rookie,” Wembanyama said. “I don’t have one NBA game in me. I just got everything to learn. The truth was, yeah, I didn’t know what I was doing. And for the next games, I’m probably not going to know what I’m doing, too. But it’s going to come as time goes and hopefully we’ll be ready for the season.
“I’m still a kid. I’m just ready to learn.”
Apparently, he learned quite a bit as when he took the court on Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers. This time around, he scored 27 points with 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. This time, the Spurs lost, 85-80
“Here, the players are just flying,” he said. “(In France) it’s more pushing on the ground, big box outs. Here, there are great athletes, the best in the world. I like this better though.”
Las Vegas fans won’t get the chance to see if Wembanyama can make even more steps forward as the Spurs decided he wouldn’t play the rest of the camp. Next, he’ll start getting ready for fall training camp and a rigorous 82-game schedule.
“In the past month, I think basketball wasn’t even 50 percent of my schedule,” he said. “I can’t stand it. I know it’s a special moment in my life, but I’m glad it’s over. I just wanna hoop.”
