On Thursday, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama put on a show against the Oklahoma City Thunder in his team’s surprise 132-118 win. The young star filled the stat sheet with 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and a stunning five blocks. He also sank five of his seven three-point attempts, including a clutch bucket right before his stunning block on OKC’s Chet Holmgren that sealed the game for the Spurs.
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Holy shit. Game. pic.twitter.com/5XlrGFtYlX
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 1, 2024
In the post-game press conference, Wembanyama, who played the entire fourth quarter, was asked whether the workload was more taxing physically or mentally. The Frenchman said,
“It’s a lot of mental. You know, Kobe [Bryant] said to win the game he mostly took the shots, big shots, because they don’t call any fouls. So it’s not as much the physical battle. In defense, it’s 90% effort. But offensively, it’s a lot of mental.”
Wemby on playing the entire 4Q and trying to emulate Kobe’s attitude in crunch time… pic.twitter.com/LRtZMFHn1K
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) March 1, 2024
Wembanyama switching on Mamba Mentality late in the fourth quarter shouldn’t come as a surprise. In an interview with French newspaper L’Equipe in 2022, he revealed that he used Kobe Bryant as inspiration when things didn’t go his way on the court. He said,
“I think about him almost every day since his death… I admire his spirit, work ethic, and game philosophy. … Following his example every day, I try to push my limits. When I suffer, when I have doubts, I often wonder what Kobe would have done. And I know I would have done more.”
Bryant’s Mamba Mentality has been a source of inspiration for many top athletes. Wembanyama is another future superstar keeping the Los Angeles Lakers icon’s legacy alive by following in his footsteps and achieving success. And so far, it seems to be working swimmingly well for him.
Victor Wembanyama locks up Rookie of the Year award?
Victor Wembanyama was touted as the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award even before he made his NBA debut. However, OKC star Chet Holmgren, who was drafted in 2022 but missed the entire 2022-23 season due to a foot injury, emerged as a strong contender to stop the Spurs rookie from winning the honor he seemed to be destined to lift.
Both Wembanyama and Holmgren have put up stellar numbers this season. The Spurs rookie has averaged 20.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals in his debut year. Holmgren isn’t far off and is averaging 17.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.7 blocks.
While Wembanyama has put up better numbers, the Spurs haven’t benefitted much. They are 12-48 and sit at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. On the flip side, Holmgren’s stellar impact has helped OKC surpass their wins tally from last season in only 58 games and compete for the top spot in the West. Holmgren’s case to win Rookie of the Year was heavily dependent on OKC’s significantly superior record than the Spurs’. However, Wembanyama’s sensational performance in their duel on Thursday may have shut the OKC star’s case for the award.
Victor Wembanyama with the game-sealing BLOCK on Chet Holmgren ❌pic.twitter.com/jB8z3w5HDW
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 1, 2024
Holmgren did not have a bad game himself as he scored 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished seven assists. However, it paled in comparison to Wembanyama’s 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and two steals. The Spurs star’s almost disrespectful block on Holmgren late in the fourth quarter not only sealed the win for the Spurs but potentially also the Rookie of the Year award for the French sensation.
