Spurs' Victor Wembanyama Trying to 'Live Up to the Hype', Says Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid is recognizing the work San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is putting in.

Jeremy Brener | Dec 25, 2023

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San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is adapting to life in the NBA as one of the most anticipated players in league history.

While he's flashing some potential with 19 points and 11 rebounds per game, the Spurs have struggled, winning just four of their first 28 games this season.

Wembanyama is eventually trying to chase the greats, and none are better now than reigning MVP Joel Embiid, who has observed the rookie from afar and shared his thoughts.

Dec 15, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Frost Bank Center / © Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

"Not trying to be too critical. Obviously, extremely talented. Right now, there’s so much hype around him, I think he’s trying to live up to the hype. That’s what I see. And I watch a lot of games," Embiid said via The Athletic's David Aldridge.

"Right now, I just feel like everything kind of feels a little forced, in the way that he’s playing. Which is not bad. Because the only way to get better is to play through it and learn. That’s the only way. You make a lot of mistakes, and you learn."

Spurs Have 'Next-Play Mentality' in Struggling Season

Wembanyama is still adjusting to life in the NBA with just a handful of games under his belt, and these experiences will allow him to feel more comfortable as time goes on.

The more games he plays, the more he will develop and the sooner we will begin to see why he is as hyped as he was. He's shown flashes, dropping 38 points in just his fifth NBA game, but the more reps he gets, the better he will become.

Published Dec 25, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.