Victor Wembanyama, the 20-year-old 7-foot-4 phenom for the San Antonio Spurs, still has some growth to do before he can be called a legitimately elite player, but he is already elite on the defensive end.
The second-year man led the NBA in blocked shots per game last season, and on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, he had a spectacular rejection that became an instant viral highlight.
Rockets guard Jalen Green looked to attack the basket, but Wembanyama made an incredible effort to smack his shot attempt away that left the France native on his back.
THIS WEMBY REJECTION 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/sJW9OZ4BXf
— NBA (@NBA) November 7, 2024
Through his first seven games of this season, Wembanyama is again leading everyone in blocks with 3.9 rejections per game, although his scoring average (18.9 points a game) is down from last season.
The Spurs are currently 3-4, and perhaps they won’t make the play-in tournament this spring, but they do seem poised to take a step forward after going 22-60 last year.
They added veteran future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul this summer, and he has been shooting well while averaging 8.9 assists a game coming into Wednesday.
Wembanyama has lots of room for improvement offensively, especially when it comes to his perimeter shooting and ability to play with his back to the basket, but he reportedly added lots of muscle during the offseason and now weighs 235 pounds.
That added weight and strength will only help him score more effectively inside, box out and do an even better job of rebounding.
As a rookie, he grabbed 10.6 rebounds a game, which ranked eighth in the NBA.
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