San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama continues to turn heads after leading his team to the NBA Finals. While his team is currently in an 0-2 hole against the New York Knicks, he’s still getting plenty of praise considering what he’s accomplished at just 22 years old.
Wembanyama doesn’t turn 23 until next January, yet he has emerged as one of the best players in the NBA. One rival player recently raved about the Spurs superstar.
76ers Guard VJ Edgecombe Marvels at Spurs Star Victor Wembanyama
Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe talked about what it’s like to see Wembanyama in person and play against the Spurs superstar. In an interview with HoopsHype, he gave Wembanyama his flowers.
“Yeah, he’s insane. Obviously, there’s never been anyone around that’s obviously as skilled as him at that height, so, yeah. I’ve seen him in person. I just think when you see somebody like that like [on] the court, what is this? Yeah, man. He’s not real. I don’t think he’s real.”
Wembanyama is listed at 7-foot-4 and 235 pounds, but there are rumblings that he has grown to 7-foot-5. What makes him so unique is his skill set. He can shoot the ball well, connecting on 34.2% of his 3-pointers throughout his career. Spacing the floor as a big opens up the lane for teammates cutting to the basket. He also has solid ball-handling and passing skills despite his size.
Throughout his career, he has averaged 3.5 assists per game. Historically, most centers operated in the paint. They would catch the basketball in the post, and they’d attack defenses with moves around the basket.
Wembanyama, a product of the European style of play, has the ability to win off the dribble and run the floor like a small forward. He led the Spurs to the NBA Finals by defeating the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a grueling seven-game series in the Western Conference Finals.
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Edgecombe was asked to pick his dream starting lineup of active players, and he chose Wembanyama as his center despite the fact that he’s only 22 years old and doesn’t have the same hardware or championships as his peers on the list.
“No teammates? At the 1, you still have to go Steph [Curry]. At the 2, I’m going to go with Anthony Edwards. At the 3, that’s a tough one. Jayson Tatum at the 3. At the 4, KD (Kevin Durant). And at the 5, I’m gonna go with Wemby,” Edgecombe said.
Tonight is Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, and Wembanyama and Co. hope to pick up a crucial win as the Spurs try to erase the 0-2 deficit.