Victor Wembanyama, this year’s number one draft pick in the NBA, shined again with an eye-catching 23-point performance in his second pre-season outing for the San Antonio Spurs.
Frenchman Wembanyama led the Spurs to a 120-104 home win over a second-string Miami Heat, with the 19-year-old also adding four rebounds, four assists and three blocks in just under 23 minutes on court.
The 7ft 3in Wembanyama brought the Frost Bank Center crowd to their feet with a furious dunk in the second quarter, and was 10-of-15 shooting.
He produced a series of spectacular plays, both offensively and defensively, with the most eye-catching a remarkable left-handed dunk from outside of the restricted area in the third quarter.
“I’m still learning to do some things defensively, defending the pin downs, for example,” he said.
“I’m really learning a lot, and I’m trying to expand my tools on defense, too,” he added.
Wembanyama said that he felt that both he and the team were developing an understanding with each other.
“I think we’re on the right path. We’ve still got a lot to learn about ourselves and also about our teammates but we are on the right path,” he said.
“Personally, I’m trying to apply what the coach says. I’m learning a lot, lots of new stuff, and I think it’s all going down to our individual sacrifices,” he added.
Rated as one of the most exciting talents to enter the league in years, Wembanyama said he has been impressed with how quickly his team-mates have adjusted to his range of skills, well beyond the norm for such a tall player.
“For most of my short career so far, my teammates have had to learn to play with me because sometimes I know they are surprised to see me do some stuff,” he said.
“But the surprise coming here is I play in the best league in the world now, and the guys just learn quicker. I feel like we’ve already got a connection, all of us, and I’m really thankful for that,” he said.
San Antonio’s opening match of the regular season is at home on October 25 against Dallas.
