“I can’t be satisfied with a loss": Victor Wembanyama brushes off tying Michael Jordan with criticism of Spurs performance
San Antonio Spurs star rookie Victor Wembanyama brushed off the recognition of tying NBA legend Michael Jordan with back-to-back games with five steals and five blocks. Wemby was more concerned over his team accumulating losses while he achieves personal accolades.
Wembanyama said after the Spurs' 123-118 loss against the LA Lakers on Friday:
“I wonder if he (Jordan) did it in wins, not losses. To me, it’s secondary. Hopefully… we can look back & think this is a good performance. As of today, I can’t be satisfied with a loss."
Previously, on Thursday against the Sacramento Kings, Victor Wembanyama became the first player in NBA history to tally 150+ blocks, 150+ assists, and 75+ 3-pointers in a season. That game also ended in a 127-122 loss for the Spurs with Wembanyama registering 19 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, five steals and five blocks.
Despite the rookie's stellar performances, the Spurs are having a season to forget, winning only 11 of 57 games. They are last in the Western Conference and have the third-worst record in the league.
Victor Wembanyama's performance against the LA Lakers matchup on Friday
Victor Wembanyama became the youngest and only the 15th player in history to have a 5x5 game. He had 27 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals and five blocks in the 123-118 loss to the LA Lakers. He shot 7-for-16 from the field, including 3-for-8 from beyond the arc, in just 30 minutes of action.
Wembanyama’s 5x5 game comes a day after he fell one assist shy of the mark against the Sacramento Kings.
Although LA Lakers superstar LeBron James had the final word with the victory, the 39-year-old was in awe of Wembanyama’s abilities on the basketball court.
“He doesn’t have a ceiling,” James told reporters, per the NBA’s official website. “He can do whatever he wants to do in his career. It seems like he enjoys the game. It seems like he puts the work in, just from the outside looking in."
The NBA has never seen someone who has Victor Wembanyama's combination of skills, size, length, fluidity and creativity. The 2023 No. 1 draft pick is already changing the way opponents game plan against the San Antonio Spurs on both ends of the floor. And, he is barely scratching the surface of what he can do.
Wembanyama is averaging 20.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 3.3 blocks in just 28.5 minutes per game this season. He's still a teenager and will just continue to get better. Despite his spectacular performances, there's a lot of room to grow for the young star, especially if he gets surrounded by better teammates.