Inside The Spurs

Could Spurs 'Regret' Drafting Victor Wembanyama vs. Scoot Henderson?

Despite Wembanyama's not-so-ideal first outing in Summer League, it would take a lot of convincing for anyone in the Spurs front office to regret taking the 19-year-old phenom.

Matt Guzman

Could Spurs 'Regret' Drafting Victor Wembanyama vs. Scoot Henderson?
Could Spurs 'Regret' Drafting Victor Wembanyama vs. Scoot Henderson? /
In this story:

For the San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama's Summer League showing was everything they hoped for ... realistically. 

Of course, if Wembanyama combined for 70 points, 25 assists and 20 blocks across his two-game span, that would have solidified him has the next league MVP, let alone Rookie of the Year. But San Antonio knew he wasn't going to do that.

All it needed Wembanyama to show was potential, and that he did. In his two games, he combined for 36 points, 20 rebounds and eight blocks. Not only did his defensive presence prove to be promising, but he also made scoring look easy, especially when his jumpshot was falling. 

Whether it was scoring in the post, off put-backs or creating his own shot, Wembanyama revealed just how versatile he is — and for a coach like Gregg Popovich, that's an ideal scenario. However he intends to fit Wembanyama into the Spurs' game plan, it's likely to work with a player as talented as the 19-year-old is. 

Even still, Victor's first outing in Las Vegas wasn't what half of the NBA media or its fans expected it to be. Wembanyama shot poorly all night, going just 2-13 and scoring only nine points. Naturally, worries began to arise: Was Wembanyama the right pick for the Spurs? Would he really bring the kind of success that Tim Duncan did? 

All questions regarding that matter cannot be answered right now. But that didn't stop Sports Illustrated senior writer Chris Mannix from asking league executives across the NBA.

"In talking to execs about Henderson/Brandon Miller—two players whose careers will be forever intertwined—a couple of team officials wondered whether San Antonio would regret passing on Henderson down the line," Mannix wrote.

The idea sounds absurd. To regret picking a player after just a handful of games in the summer — and in this case, just two. If the Spurs really did begin to ask that question of themselves, then something already went horribly wrong. 

To warrant that line of thinking, Wembanyama must have broken both ankles and failed to score a single point that wasn't a dunk, right? 

Wrong. The 19-year-old showed San Antonio in every aspect that he not only belonged in the league, but could flourish. That's not to say that Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson haven't shown that, too. Both of those rookies entered Summer League with a head full of steam and showcased their talents as well. 

But even if the Spurs liked the showing of either of them better than what Wembanyama showed, it'd likely take a lot of convincing for anybody in the front office to believe that Miller or Henderson has a better upside. 

And with Popovich set to take the reins over Vic's development, you'd like to think San Antonio has confidence that Wembanyama could reach his highest potential, which isn't anything to regret. Not at all.

You can follow Matt Guzman on Twitter and Instagram.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Spurs? Click Here.

Follow Inside the Spurs on Twitter.

Follow Inside the Spurs on Facebook.

Want even more San Antonio Spurs news? Check out the Si.com team page here.

Published
Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

Home/News