"Closest thing to dystopia" - Victor Wembanyama gets brutally honest talking about first impressions of Las Vegas
Victor Wembanyama has transitioned well into the NBA after playing basketball overseas at an early age. Be that as it may, there are still some things that the San Antonio Spurs center is fond of, such as Las Vegas. During a postgame interview after the Spurs' 118-105 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers, Wembanyama was honest about his experience during the NBA Summer League.
Playing in Las Vegas can be an attraction for some players, but that isn't the case for Victor Wembanyama. The scenery and setting of NBA arenas vastly differ from what Wembanyama was accustomed to back when he was playing with the Metropolitans 92.
With that said, here's what Victor Wembanyama said about playing in Las Vegas:
"To me, probably on Earth, it's the closest thing to a dystopia," Wembanyama said. "I'm not the biggest fan of Vegas."
From Wembanyama's comments, he didn't mince words when he described Las Vegas as a "dystopia," despite it being a favorite destination spot by tourists and people seeking a good time. However, Wembanyama was just focused on playing basketball during his time there and was not looking for other outlets for activities.
This was asked by the interviewer as Victor Wembanyama previously matched up against Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson in Las Vegas as a head-to-head meeting between rookies.
Victor Wembanyama's 2023-24 regular season stats
This season, Wembanyama is averaging 18.8 points (44.0% shooting, including 28.5% from 3-point range), 10.4 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game. In the 27 games that the 2023 No. 1 pick has played with the Spurs, he has lived up to the hype that surrounded him before he arrived in the league.
As of now, the San Antonio Spurs are struggling to string together consistent wins. The team continues to navigate growing pains as they are filled with young and inexperienced players. Be that as it may, the potential is there in some of their games; all that remains is for their skills to improve alongside the team's chemistry.
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid gets critical of Victor Wembanyama
According to The Athletic's David Aldridge, Joel Embiid offered some constructive criticism of what he sees in Victor Wembanyama's game.
"Not trying to be too critical," Embiid said. "Obviously, extremely talented. Right now, there's so much hype around him, I think he's trying to live up to the hype. I think, first of all, he has to figure out where he wants to play, whether he wants to be a guard or a big or whatever."
"Do you want to become KD, or do you want to become me?" Embiid asked. "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.
From Embiid's comments, he thinks Wembanyama plays a "little kind of forced," as opposed to honing in a specific playstyle. He acknowledges the hype surrounding him and the talent that he has to back up his case. However, the 2023 NBA MVP thinks that Wembanyama needs to pick between playing like him or Kevin Durant.
Be that as it may, Joel Embiid knows that the only way for Victor Wembanyama to answer that question is to continue playing and to continue improving upon his craft. It is only a matter of time until the Spurs center finds his actual identity or footing in the league. Until then, he remains one of the most exciting young players in the NBA today.