Wembanyama struggles with shot, shows off defense in Summer League debut
The San Antonio Spurs No. 1 overall pick, Victor Wembanyama, one of the most highly touted prospects in decades, didn't give fans the show they expected in his NBA Summer League debut.
Wembanyama struggled to get his shot to fall, scoring nine points while going just 2-for-13 from the field. He chipped in eight rebounds, three assists, and five blocks in 27 minutes as the Spurs beat the Charlotte Hornets 76-68.
Fans in Las Vegas lined up well in advance to watch the contest, which pitted Wembanyama against No. 2 pick Brandon Miller.
Fans starting lining up at 3 AM in Las Vegas this morning to get into Summer League 😳@vicw_32 mania is real pic.twitter.com/eREZseb2dw
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) July 7, 2023
Wembanyama got a bit of a welcome-to-the-league moment when Hornets center and former first-round pick Kai Jones caught an alley-oop pass and threw down a vicious dunk over the 7-foot-4 shot blocker.
KAI JONES HAS OTHERWORLDLY BOUNCE 🤯#NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN pic.twitter.com/p1Ij0INwkc
— NBA (@NBA) July 8, 2023
Despite being put on a poster, Wembanyama's defensive prowess was on full display, as his five blocks were a game-high. No other player blocked more than two shots.
Forward Julian Champagnie paced the Spurs with 20 points. The team recently re-signed him to a reported four-year, $12-million contract.
The Spurs' next Summer League outing is slated for Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers.