Victor Wembanyama is special on and off the floor.
Victor Wembanyama has quietly taken his game to a new level since becoming the Antonio Spurs’ primary center.
The rookie phenom is averaging 19.6, 10.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and a NBA-leading 4.2 blocks per game in his last 11 games, starting all of them at the five after Gregg Popovich moved veteran big man Zach Collins to the bench. Wembanyama’s efficiency has taken a major leap over that timeframe, too, better spacing and more opportunities as a pick-and-roll dive man resulting in his true shooting percentage rising nearly four points to 56.7, slightly below league average.
The Spurs surprisingly ranking among basketball’s worst teams will likely prevent Wembanyama from winning Rookie of the Year. Fellow first-year standout and inevitable future rival Chet Holmgren has helped the Oklahoma City Thunder emerge as a legitimate title contender, becoming a clear-cut frontrunner for that honor in the process.
Just because he probably won’t be taking home Rookie of the Year hardware this season hardly means Wembanyama won’t have lived up to the hype, though. He’s been borderline dominant since being moved to center a few weeks back, hinting at the blindingly bright future eventually poised to make him a San Antonio icon.
Even before leading his team to perennial contention, though, Wembanyama has already made one lifelong Spurs fan. How? Not only through the truly unique things he does on the court, but for one generous, endearing gesture off it.
Victor Wembanyama makes ‘heartbroken’ Spurs fan’s dream come true
Twitter user @brayknowball was in attendance for San Antonio’s road matchup against the Dallas Mavericks on December 23rd. He’d received tickets to the game as a Christmas gift from his mother, excited for the rare opportunity to watch Wembanyama—his favorite player—play in Dallas.
But Brayden, a high school senior in the DFW area, was left “heartbroken” when Wembanyama rolled his ankle during warmups, ultimately forced to sit out at American Airlines. The French sensation took quick notice of Brayden’s displeasure, sending him a DM shortly after the game to offer tickets to San Antonio’s next game in Dallas on February 14th.
Brayden made the five-hour drive to San Antonio for the Spurs’ Thursday clash with the Milwaukee Bucks instead, witnessing a thrilling battle between Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee pulled out a 125-121 victory, but only after Wembanyama dropped 27 points, nine rebounds and five blocks on one of the the league’s best frontcourts.
After the game, Brayden was left just as impressed by Wembanyama’s person-to-person humility as his on-court exploits.
“The fact that he went out of his way to do something like that really speaks volumes to the type of person he is,” he said of Wembanyama, per Tom Petrini of KENS 5 . “Us Spurs fans need to really appreciate that about him as well as his talent. He is a genuine good dude.”
Wembanyama will make millions more fans in San Antonio and across the globe as his career continues. Clearly, the 20-year-old’s unprecedented blend of size, skill and fluidity aren’t the only attributes bound to make him so special.
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