Victor

Wembanyama

Wemby’s first Olympics weren’t flawless, but he showed out in the gold medal game. He has already received plenty of praise as the next face of the league, and this performance won’t quiet the noise at all. They lost this game in France, so he’ll certainly be looking for revenge when the Olympics head to Los Angeles in 2028. It’s scary to think how good he’ll be in four years, and the top two picks from the draft will be added to this team, which will make them incredibly dangerous.

Wemby shot a pitiful 2-of-10 from the floor including 0-of-6 from beyond the arc, but the big man’s scoring wasn’t needed. Four French players scored at least 13, including two starters who dropped 20 or more. Wemby made up for his poor shooting with solid defense and playmaking, and France earned a surprising win as 8.5-point dogs. The victorious French will face Germany on Thursday.

France supporters who hoped Tuesday’s overtime win over Japan would serve as a wake-up call for the hosts were bitterly disappointed on Friday. Wembanyama and company went cold in the second quarter, as Germany outscored France by a 24-9 margin and did not look back. Wemby recorded a double-double and a full stat line, but he did not impact the action significantly. France coach Vincent Collet decided to bench Rudy Gobert for the start of the third quarter, so a lineup change could be in the cards for the team’s upcoming quarterfinal against an opponent that won’t be known until the end of games on Saturday.

Wembanyama was at his best when the hosts needed him most, scoring France’s first eight points of overtime. A Matthew Strazel four-point play was required to force the extra period, and the 7-foot-4 phenom took over from there. The hosts’ roster has no shortage of proven NBA talent, but it’s clear who the star talent is. Wembanyama will be the key if France is to improve on its showing at the Tokyo Olympics, where it lost to the United States in the gold medal game.

Wembanyama didn’t dominate, but he did join Nicolas Batum (19 points) as the leading scorers for France in this game. Wembanyama will continue to be one of the focal points for France throughout the Olympics, and the duo down low of Wemby and Rudy Gobert will be tough for their opponents to deal with. They have a few days off before they play Japan on Tuesday, and Wemby shouldn’t have any issues dominating that matchup.

While there was some suspense earlier in the season while Wembanyama was dealing with an ankle injury, the Spurs sensation took the league by storm once healthy and not playing under any restrictions. Wemby became the first player in NBA history to amass at least 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocks, and 100 3-pointers. He became the first unanimous winner of the award since Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016, with Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren finishing second. Rounding out the top five were Brandon Miller (Charlotte), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami), and Brandin Podziemski (Golden State). Wembanyama is also the first player from France to win the award.

Wembanyama ended his sensational rookie season on a high, recording a gaudy stat line in Friday’s win over the Nuggets. He played in 71 games, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals, 3.6 blocks, and 1.8 3-pointers, shooting 46.5% from the field and 79.6% from the foul line. Wembanyama should be the unquestioned first-overall pick in dynasty league drafts, and a case can also be made for him being first overall in redraft leagues.

Wemby missed their last game, which was the second night of a back-to-back, but he was able to suit up in this one. He made a massive impact across the board, which is nothing new for him. Out of his last seven appearances, this was his fourth with at least 30 points. He led a comeback after they trailed by 23 to the defending champs, who are still competing for the top spot in the West. It was an unreal performance for Wemby, which was summed up by a dominant stretch where he scored 17 points in three minutes. This has been a generational rookie season, he should be one of the first players drafted in fantasy basketball next season.

Wembanyama was out of Wednesday’s loss to the Thunder, and Zach Collins replaced him in the starting lineup. His absence from the initial injury report for Friday’s game means Wemby will be available to take on the Nuggets, which pushes Collins to the bench.

Wemby will sit out the second night of a back-to-back after logging 31 minutes in Tuesday’s win over Memphis. Zach Collins should slide into the starting center spot, with Dominick Barlow filling out the backup minutes, if he is available. If not, Sandro Mamukelashvili will likely soak up some of the minutes down low after he grabbed 16 boards in 26 minutes against the Grizzlies.