Almost as impressive as Victor Wembanyama’s Rookie of the Year campaign was all the praise the San Antonio Spurs superstar received from the NBA’s biggest stars.
In covering Spurs games throughout the season, ClutchPoints received reaction from the game’s elite as they’d go against the top pick in last summer’s draft.
“He’s going to change the game for sure,” Nikola Jokic, who just captured his third league MVP, said following a meeting in mid-March.
“I’ve never seen anything like him,” Giannis Antetokounmpo admitted following a showdown between the two 7-footers to start 2024.
“He’s a special talent,” LeBron James stated about the man who’s followed in his “generational talent” footsteps.
Here’s a look at what some of the game’s top players had to say about Wemby right after they faced him.
NBA stars reacting to Victor Wembanyama in real time
Wemby’s Spurs lost to the Golden State Warriors three of the four times they met this season. Following a 117-113 Dubs win on the final day of March, Draymond Green had this to say about the 7-foot-4 star.
“[Victor Wembanyama] finished with 32, so I can’t give myself too much credit. He is an incredible player.”
One of Wembanyama’s many impressive Spurs outings occurred two nights before when scored 40 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in a 130-126 overtime victory vs. the New York Knicks.
“He’s gonna be one of the greatest players this game has seen,” Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who poured in 61 points that night, said. “Just the way he’s built and what he’s been able to do so far. Got a lot of respect for him and it’s definitely tough to get a shot up and in over him.”
Another one of the Spurs leading scorer’s top moments came in his last. He scored 34 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in an April 12 upset of a champion Denver Nuggets team that was playing for the West’s top seed. It was the fourth time Jokic had faced Wemby.
“Definitely, he’s there. He’s learning with time,” the newly crowned 2024 league MVP said after a Denver victory on March 15. “He’s going to have a bad period, a good period. He’s really young, so he’s going to learn. We just need to enjoy his process.”
On January 4, Wembanyama did more than hold his own against the Greek Freak. He countered the two-time NBA MVP’s 44 points with 27 of his own while blocking five shots despite playing 14 less minutes.
“He’s special. He plays the right way, plays to win. 7-foot-4, 7-foot-5. I don’t know how tall he is. He’s not 7’ 3.” He’s way taller than 7’ 3.” So whoever says he’s 7’ 3,” that’s a lie. You haven’t seen anything like that. I haven’t. Maybe you guys have,”Antetokounmpo continued.
“The sky’s the limit as long as you work hard and keep having a positive attitude and energy toward the game. Everything that he dreams of is going to happen for him. I’ve seen him play. He played with my younger brother,” the Milwaukee Bucks star added. “I went and watched a couple of games. I’ve seen him compete, and even then I knew he was going to be special. But now seeing him play against NBA players and doing the things that he’s doing, it’s pretty amazing.”
Almost as amazing is the love he gets from the best of the best — as a 20-year-old — in real time.
