San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama enjoyed his first NBA All-Star Weekend experience. At the same time, while the Rising Stars and Skills Challenge competitions gave him a taste, he considers it just that.
“Next year, hopefully, the big game,” Wemby said, alluding to the actual NBA All-Star Game.
A packed All-Star weekend for Victor Wembanyama
Friday's Rising Stars tournament, which featured many of the league's top young players, and Saturday's Skills Challenge were far from the only festivities the top pick in last summer's top draft pick attended.
“The schedule's been full, but it's also what I'm here for. A lot of fun experiences,” the 20-year-old rookie said.
A day before he showed off his passing, shooting and dribbling skills in the aforementioned Saturday competition, Wemby took part in an event that featured a vital measurable of another kind.
“The Tech Summit, that was a lot of fun. It was funny, we had the rehearsal. I actually learned a lot from these people who made the internet world what it is today. I learned a lot,” the French phenom shared.
With 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in his team's semifinal, Wembanyama's on-the-court highlight of the weekend came in the Rising Stars competition, albeit in a loss.
“I mean, it was kind of weird because at the same time I want to win and hate losing, but at the same time I have so much going on and that I'm happy that I just knocked one thing off the list this weekend,” the 20-year-old big man said.
Wemby reflects during All-Star Weekend
Though the All-Star Break isn't halfway through the NBA season, it provides a stopping point. With that came a chance for the generational prospect to detail his rookie season at large, like, for example, how the American game differs from ball in Europe.
“The talent is just so incredible here on every team. It's tough to guard. The shots you've got to take are different as well. Offensively, the positions are way different,” Wembanyama admitted.
Specifically, one player came to mind for the Spurs' leading scorer when asked if he's felt a “welcome to the NBA” moment.
“There's been plenty of them,” Wemby continued. “The earliest one I can remember is, Kevin Durant is pretty tough to guard even though sometimes it feels like you've done your best and he still scores. So, yeah, there's been plenty of those.”
Coincidentally, an early season game versus Durant's Phoenix Suns also served as a welcome to Victor Wembanyama's NBA career. In just his fifth game in the league, Wemby scored a still-career high 38 points in leading San Antonio to a victory on the road.
Though not even two months out of his teens, Wemby also talked about what a younger version of himself would think about where he is now.
“My 12-year-old self probably would have said something like ‘Why not earlier, why not the year before.' I don't know. When I was a kid, one of my goals was to make the 2016 Olympics with the national team so unfortunately I'm a little bit late for this. I already had high expectations,” Wemby added.
The current Victor Wembanyama still has plenty of time to make up for lost time.
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