Victor Wembanyama will therefore not have succeeded in convincing Gregg Popovich nor his medical staff to allow him to step on the floor of the Frost Bank Center one last time this season. As the Spurs coach suggested after the stunning victory against Denver on Friday evening, “Wemby” will finally be spared for the reception of the Pistons this Sunday. The Texan franchise officially communicated on the subject, citing a right ankle injury to explain Wembanyama's withdrawal.
So that's the end of the rookie season of the number 1 of the last draft, promised the title of rookie of the year, with a statistical line that lives up to the enthusiasm generated over the last six months: 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks. His 71st and final regular season match against the reigning champion was undoubtedly one of the most successful with a monumental “comeback” for San Antonio after being 23 points behind.
Heading for the Olympics
After the meeting, Nuggets coach Mike Malone highlighted the progress made by the Frenchman between the first confrontation between the two teams at the end of November and that of Friday evening.
“What's really been interesting to watch is see how much he's improved from the start of the season to now. I mean it's noticeable. He came in as a very talented player, but when you look at him now…Pop did a hell of a job developing him in just one season.”, he explained.
He thus became the fourth player in history to finish a season with at least 1,500 points, 250 assists and 250 blocks after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson. On the other hand, he is the first player in NBA history to reach such standards during his rookie season.
For “Wemby”, once the regular season is over, the next task will be the preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this summer.
| Victor Wembanyama | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2023-24 | SAN | 71 | 30 | 46.5 | 32.5 | 79.6 | 2.3 | 8.4 | 10.6 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 21.4 |
| Total | 71 | 30 | 46.5 | 32.5 | 79.6 | 2.3 | 8.4 | 10.6 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 21.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
