The San Antonio Spurs have been must-watch television to start the season, and it had been a while since that was the case.
Of course, that’s because No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama has been as good as advertised, and he’s only gotten better and more aggressive every game.
That was on full display in just his fifth career game when he put his team on his shoulders to get a win over Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and the Phoenix Suns with a 38-point explosion.
That’s why ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith expects him to be an All-Star as a rookie.
"He can ball. He's a special talent man. … Wembanyama's the real deal. He'll probably be an All-Star as a rookie."
—@stephenasmith on Victor Wembanyama pic.twitter.com/7sxsuMJYsK
— First Take (@FirstTake) November 3, 2023
But more than that, he believes he’s going to be a superstar in this game because of his passion.
In the latest edition of “First Take,” Smith raved about Wembanyama and the way he’s demanding the basketball in crunch time.
He thinks he has some big passion for the game, adding that the team is not deferring to him just because he’s tall, but also because he’s got skills and a big heart.
Smith pointed out that Wembanyama currently has the third-most points in the clutch this season (21), trailing only Luka Doncic (22), and LeBron James (23), and even ahead of Stephen Curry (20).
Not many 19-year-olds have the kind of personality to ask for the ball when the game is on the line and, more than that, actually deliver.
Wembanyama is averaging 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game on 50% from the floor, and even though he’s only been out there for five games, his season highlight reel should over 10 minutes long already.
NEXT: Spurs HC Shares The Reality For Those Guarding Victor Wembanyama
