“A 7’4” version of Kevin Durant”: Kendrick Perkins hyped for Victor Wembanyama after breakout preseason game vs Heat
Victor Wembanyama has continued to give NBA fans a show when he steps onto the court. While the towering French superstar struggled in his first NBA Summer League game this offseason, he has since been able to put on a number of stellar performances.
Recently, in the San Antonio Spurs' preseason clash with the Miami Heat, Wembanyama left fans, analysts, and his peers in awe.
Much like sharpshooter Kevin Durant, Wembanyama brought the ball up the court, showing off his handles as he danced around defenders before draining a midrange shot. But that wasn't all; his performance saw him lead the Spurs in scoring with 23 points in just 23 minutes.
Although his three-point percentage was jut 20%, Wembanyama went an astounding 9-10 from mid-range and finished the game at 66.7% from the field. The way Kendrick Perkins sees things, Victor Wembanyama is reminiscent of a 7'4 Kevin Durant.
While speaking on ESPN, Perkins explained why he views Wembanyama as a taller version of Durant, explaining:
"I look at him and he looks on balance, he looks stronger. So I think about how he looked in Summer League and what he did was he spent his entire offseason in San Antonio with the Spurs working out.
"... He's a 7'4 version of Kevin Durant, he could do it all. And the way he's moving out there, the way he can anchor a defense and cover ground, protect the basket ... so when I look at Wemby, we already know the skill set was there, but now we're seeing the dedication."
Victor Wembanyama's impressive preseason showings
As Victor Wembanyama recently explained, by the time the NBA Summer League rolled around earlier this offseason, he was feeling somewhat burned out. Between his season with the Metropolitans and the media attention he received, he was ready for a mental break.
Fortunately for San Antonio Spurs fans, Victor Wembanyama was able to recharge before the start of the NBA preseason. In the San Antonio Spurs' first preseason game, he matched up with Chet Holmgren and the OKC Thunder.
While the Spurs jumped out to an early lead, the Thunder were able to fight back largely thanks to Chet Holmgren, resulting in a 122-121 loss for San Antonio. After the game, Gregg Popovich spoke about the Spurs' gameplan for Wemby while reflecting on his performance.
“I thought it was fun. He just went out and played. No big-game plan for him or anything like that, he just played basketball, which he likes to do and he’s good at.”
With the regular season right around the corner, it's safe to say the eyes of the world will be on Wembanyama as embarks on a journey to become an NBA champion.