At the young age of 19, Victor Wembanyama is a rookie in the world’s best basketball league and is still getting the hang of things. Nevertheless, his defensive skills cannot be disputed.
In this basketball season, we’ve had the chance to witness Wemby’s incredible performance. He has managed to score 38 points against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, execute jaw-dropping dunks, and display remarkable ball-handling skills, as if he were playing as a two-guard. It’s hard to believe that someone of his stature can do all this! His impressive length and versatility have left a spellbinding impact on the NBA. However, while his offensive game is worth applauding, it’s his defensive skills that truly stand out.
Get ready to be amazed. As stated by StatMuse, Wembanyama is the sole athlete this season to have accumulated more than 20 steals and 25 blocks. This fact was shared by StatMuse through their Twitter account.
Victor Wembanyama is a dominant player when it comes to steals and blocks, even though he’s only a rookie and has played in just 17 NBA games. He currently leads the league in stocks, which is a combination of steals and blocks, ahead of established defensive anchors like Brook Lopez and Anthony Davis. During a recent game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Denver Nuggets, Wembanyama showed his skills by scoring 22 points, making four blocks, and six steals. His performance earned him praise from Nuggets’ head coach, Michael Malone, who called him “a hell of a player.” Even future Hall of Fame coach, Popovich, had high praise for Wembanyama, saying that he affects the game in many different ways and is unselfish. Among rookies, Wemby ranks first in blocks and steals per game, with averages of 2.6 blocks and 1.3 steals. This puts him in good company when it comes to defensive statistics, as he’s on track to achieve similar numbers to Tim Duncan and Hakeem Olajuwon in their rookie years.