The San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama has shown a remarkable sense of humility since the 2023 NBA draft. Having impressed in the second Summer League games that he played, Wembanyama appears to be a willing learner who knows succeeding in the NBA will require a lot of work. This is in stark contrast to Michael Jordan’s selection for the Charlotte Hornets in the form of Brandon Miller. The 20-year forward has bagged a 4-year, $49 million contract and will be earning $10,880,400 million in his rookie year. While rookies such as Miller and Trail Blazers’ Scoot Henderson have exemplified a high level of confidence, Wembanyama has more realistic expectations from his first season.
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In an interview with ESPN, he claimed that he would be happy if his team had a better season than the previous one, although he had a higher individual threshold for himself. The video was shared on Twitter by ClutchPoints. Brandon Miller, on the other hand, recently claimed that he could see the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Finals next year. Of course, the Hornets might need a few miracles if they are to actually make his predictions come true, even if all their stars are fit and firing.
Victor Wembanyama aims to perform better than previous number 1 picks
The number 1 pick was asked in the interview what he would consider a successful rookie season. The 19-year-old started off by talking about the team, rather than his individual performances.
He claimed that he would be happy if the Spurs had a better season than the previous one. That will not be a challenge, considering Popovich’s team finished 15th in the Western Conference. Wemby had loftier expectations for himself:
“Having a better record for my team than last year. I’ve been looking into all the data of the past No. 1 picks and what impact they’ve had. I’m trying to be better than every guy before me.”
“I’ve been looking into all the data of the past No. 1 picks and what impact they’ve had. I’m trying to be better than every guy before me.”
Victor Wembanyama on his expectations heading into his rookie season with the Spurs 🗣️
(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/1LT2vSfaYq
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) July 12, 2023
Some might claim that his aim to be the best-ever rookie in itself lacks humility. However, considering the kind of expectations that have already been levied on Wembanyama, that is exactly the standard he needs to hold for himself.
Wembanyama to disappear from social media until the start of the NBA season
Wembanyama has had a roller-coaster start to life in the NBA. Even before the summer league, Wembanyama was caught in an unfortunate incident involving Britney Spears. The celebrity pop icon was reportedly pushed by his security detail.
According to Sports Illustrated, Wembanyama plans to go off the grid until the start of the new season. He didn’t get off to the best of starts in his Summer League campaign. However, game 2 showed everything Wembanyama can bring to the NBA.
He scored 27 points while going 9-12 from the field, and was a big defensive presence as well. It was in stark contrast to game 1, where Wembanyama scored just 9 points. While setbacks during his rookie season can be expected, the 19-year-old has looked like the real deal until now.
