San Antonio Spurs' towering rookie Victor Wembanyama made his debut at the NBA's Rising Stars game Friday night, though the event ended in disappointment for the French phenom and his fans. According to Express News, the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama delivered a solid performance with 11 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, but it wasn't enough as his team lost to a group of tenacious G Leaguers in the showcase.
Despite the loss and a day described as "busy, taxing," Wembanyama, who has been sensational for the Spurs this season, averaging 20.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, was ready for the challenge; his demanding schedule kicked off with an early Tech Summit appearance followed by media commitments, Rising Stars practice and then the game itself, where he not only posted robust numbers but also played a team-high 12 minutes, shooting 5-for-6 from the field though he made five turnovers, according to Express News.
In the 41 games he's played this season, the 11th Spurs player ever selected for the Rising Stars game since its inception in 1994, Wembanyama leads all rookies in scoring and blocks, and even posted a triple-double back on January 10th against the Detroit Pistons, per KSAT.
The skills and stature of Wembanyama have been a glow up for the Spurs, despite their rough season, with only their forward and fellow Rising Star Jeremy Sochan saying he's heading for "some vacation, some rest time" as his teammate prepared for the next challenge in the packed All-Star Weekend, after a grueling Rising Stars game that saw the Spurs' star admit "I was tired before it even started," Victor Wembanyama told Express News.
