HENDERSON, Nev. — On Thursday, Victor Wembanyama’s teammates pulled him aside and showed him a video of LeBron James calling the projected No. 1 pick in next summer’s NBA draft “a generational talent” and “an alien.”
Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 talent from France who has wowed spectators and NBA execs alike in his first trip to America this week, said he still has more work to do before he deserves such high praise.
“It’s obviously an honor to see such great people talk like this about me, but it really doesn’t change anything,” he said after leading his Metropolitans 92 squad to a 112-106 win over G League Ignite at Dollar Loan Center. “I was like, ‘Oh that’s cool.’ But no more. I have to try to stay focused. The thing is … I didn’t do anything yet.”
With Scoot Henderson, the projected No. 2 pick in next summer’s draft and leader of G League Ignite, sidelined with a knee injury early in the game, Wembanyama was the main event Thursday. He finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks and 4 assists in a 112-106 win, as Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert — a French basketball standout and Wembanyama’s good friend — watched courtside.
Wembanyama was more aggressive as he attacked the basket while still managing to hit shots in rhythm with a skill set some NBA reps in attendance said they’d never witnessed from a player that size.
On Tuesday, he finished with 37 points and went 7-for-11 from the 3-point line in a 122-115 loss to G League Ignite in the same building. A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Chris Paul, Devin Booker and DeMarcus Cousins all sat in the front row for that game.
James said the hype about Wembanyama is real.
“Everybody has been labeling this unicorn thing,” James said Wednesday night after scoring 23 points in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 119-115 loss to the Phoenix Suns in a preseason game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “Everybody has been a unicorn for the last two years, but he’s more like an alien. I’ve never seen — no one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is, but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor.
“… His ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot step-back jumpers out of the post, step-back 3s, catch-and-shoot 3s, block shots … he’s for sure a generational talent.”
But Wembanyama said he must continue to grow and not get caught up in the hype about his potential.
“I didn’t play in an NBA game yet,” Wembanyama said. “I wasn’t drafted, so I’ve got to stay focused to reach my goals. Because it’s going to be tough…
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