The second of two head-to-heads this week featuring detective No. 1 Victor Wimpanyama and prospective No. 2 Scott Henderson, the two clear (so far!) trophies of the 2023 NBA Draft class, fizzled out a little late Thursday afternoon with Henderson injured in the inning. I and no longer. But Wimpanyama shined the spotlight throughout the last exhibition match between his Mets 92 and G League Ignite, turning 36 points and putting in a dazzling display in the process to cement his position – in a way LeBron James might put it on – As the most curious of the next year’s draft category.
Wimpanyama notched seven seconds in Tuesday’s first encounter en route to a 37-point eruption and followed it up by notching just twice in Thursday’s appearance, his second-ever competition on US soil. But from start to finish it was a more impressive show than its first. The dream shake, the step, the fade, the stuff spinning in the stands – he had a little bit of everything working. Wembanyana professionally chose between defenders when attacking and influenced just about everything that came into his space in defence. It was so dominant but it looked effortless, the exaggeration is sure to reach deafening levels in the wake of (another) stunning show. . . It is hard not to agree with most of them. It seems like a generational talent that was described long ago.
Henderson’s early injury on Thursday hampered what had been an unequivocally great week for him and Wimpaniyama, but he also caused massive damage on Tuesday and was off to a great start before he exploded.
There have certainly been some declarative statements made after what we have seen in the past few days – some of which may be very true! But I will keep these statements for a later date. However, I do have a few points from what we saw in court this week (and what it might mean in the coming months). So let’s dive into five ready-made meals.
1. Henderson Deng until Thursday
G League Ignite beat the Mets 92 on Tuesday and Henderson scored nine assists and 28 points in the effort, but was unable to replicate that display as Wembanyama after injuring his knee early in the game. Henderson came off after playing just five full minutes and left with one rebound, one pass and a 0-for-2 shooting start.
The good news is that Henderson’s post match was listed as a “day by day”. He suffers from a bone bruise that does not last long.
Henderson has done well for himself this week overall. His pace and control of the match on Tuesday was evident late in the competition and was a big reason G League Ignite was able to take the win. He emphasized engaging his teammates, effortlessly controlling the tempo, and playing with such superiority and wits that he knew precisely when his team needed him to take charge.
2. Wembanyama attack for defense ➡️
This is just a sample of what Wembanyama’s mobility can add to the team dynamic. There are only a few players on the planet who can do something like what he does in this sequence, hitting one end and then sliding the other end to finish over the edge while moving.
He finished with four blocks, but perhaps most impressively, was a plus 26 (!) in his box score.
3. The stars weigh
If you’re in the NBA or the NBA this week, it’s impossible to ignore the good that has come head-on from Scott Wimpanyama. So, when asked about their posts this week in Wimpanyama in particular, the league’s stars shared some comprehensive thoughts.
First, there was this one from LeBron: “Everyone’s been a unicorn for the past few years, but [Wembanyama] He’s like an alien.”
Then this, Thursday morning, from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver: “Oh, he definitely has all the attributes of a real game-changer. … I know that many NBA teams They are drooling at the idea that, through our lottery, they are likely to get it, so they should all be competing hard next season.”
Then this one from Stephen Curry: “It’s like a 2K build player. Cheats in the emoticon type. He’s a solid player.”
Finally, there was this from another former MVP winner, Giannis Antetokounmue: “He’s a great guy. I think in 2045, everyone will look like Victor. The way he can shoot the ball, the way he can move, he’s so fast from For his size, he can block shots, he’s unbelievable. He has a chance to be one of the best players ever in this game. We’ve never seen anything like this before. We have to prepare for this kid, he’s going to be really good.”
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4. The race for first place
It’s been clear for a while now that Wimpanyama was considered the No. 1 consensus on Henderson, but this week he cemented his position in that regard. Yes, Henderson is a great, great prize, but he’s in a class of generational talent up front. that happens!
It’s not over either, just to be clear. Remember: The draft isn’t until next summer. Wembanyama has dealt with bothersome injuries time and time again over the past few years, though nothing seems chronic or long-term. It must have been disastrous to derail Wimpanyama from going to number one, but when both LeBron and Giannis were asked about him this week, it’s worth noting that both in their responses clearly emphasized wishing him good health; The lifespan of a rhino at 7 feet 4 feet long seems to be completely unknown. But now Imbanyama is at his own level at the top, Henderson right behind him, then everyone else.
5. Acrobatics and Wimpanyama
Just . . . look at this.
or this:
It’s funny how good Wimpanyama is. Controls body, movement, skill, height, and production: inspects All funds. everyone of them.
