Victor Wembanyama's Summer League debut didn't go as planned. His shot wasn't falling (2-for-13) and he failed to reach double figures in points. Some questioned how ready the San Antonio Spurs draft pick was for the NBA. On Sunday night, Wembanyama had his answer. He'll be fine.
During an 85-80 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, the 19-year-old went off, showing the varied skillset that made him the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and a steal while shooting 9-of-14 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.
There were some really fun highlights as well.
How about a 3...
And another...
Some rebound stat-padding:
A nice crossover and pull-up:
Here are his full-game highlights:
The moral of the story here is that one Summer League game isn't enough to judge a player. It will likely take Wembanyama a while to become a star in the NBA, but anyone questioning why he was the No. 1 pick should watch Sunday night's highlights. He has a tantalizing skill set any team would wan.
This article was originally published on thebiglead as Victor Wembanyama Silenced Critics in Second Summer League Start.