Victor Wembanyama‘s NBA debut didn’t meet the high expectations of fans. The highly praised French talent scored only 9 points from 2-for-13 shots, with eight rebounds and five blocks in the Summer League. As a result, he’s facing harsh criticism and online trolling, with some labeling him a bust. However, Jalen Brunson, a former teammate of Luka Doncic, came to Wembanyama’s defense. In a recent Twitter post, Brunson indirectly referenced Wembanyama’s performance and stated that the Summer League is not the best representation of his abilities. He implied that it was too early to judge the rookie based on this platform.
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When Victor Wembanyama entered the NBA, he carried immense expectations from the basketball community. He was considered one of the greatest prospects, even surpassing LeBron James. However, Wembanyama appeared to lack confidence during the Summer League games. This gave critics their first opportunity to scrutinize the promising rookie, who is yet to demonstrate his true potential in the regular season.
Luka Doncic’s former teammate Jalen Brunson indirectly defends rookie Victor Wembanyama’s Summer League performance
Summer League is one of the platforms where rookies get to prove their potential ahead of the regular season. But sometimes, some rookies might underperform, given the immense pressure and expectations faced. Victor Wembanyama faced a similar situation and had a relatively slow start in his debut San Antonio Spurs appearance. But former Dallas Mavericks player Jalen Brunson says it’s too early to dismiss Wemby off his summer league performance.
In a rather indirect tweet hinting towards Victor Wembanyama, Brunson talked about his performance in the Summer League. Elaborating on the same, he said:
“Summer league was my worst brand of basketball by far. It was horrendous.”
Summer league was my worst brand of basketball by far. It was horrendous 😭
— Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) July 8, 2023
Jalen Brunson’s words held much truth as he has a record of upsetting performance in his three Summer League starts. Brunson averaged 7 points, three rebounds, and 4.3 assists. His shooting percentage was even further disheartening, with over just 19 percent.
Maybe, Brunson is right in his assessment of Wemby’s performance. This stage is too early to judge a rookie, who might be overwhelmed with the league’s expectations this early. If we look at Jalen Brunson’s career, the 2018 draft pick for the Mavericks averaged 24 points and 6.2 assists in his first season with the New York Knicks. He has significantly improved in his game and shows further promising potential.
Perhaps, Wemby might prove all his critics wrong with the upcoming Summer League games and the regular season.
Wembanyama is well aware of his lackluster performance in the Summer League
Victor Wembanyama was well aware of his lacking performance in his league debut. He seemed quite disappointed in himself for such an underwhelming performance from his side. Addressing this issue, he said:
“Honestly, I didn’t really know what I was doing on the court tonight but I’m trying to learn for the next games. The important thing is to be ready for the season.”
With Wemby’s statement, it’s evident that one bad game won’t deter his spirits for the rest. The French prodigy has been preparing for the NBA, sacrificing his spot in France’s FIBA World Cup squad. Perhaps, we might see something incredible from him in the coming days, as he seems determined to improve and deliver his best.
