PHOTOS: Victor Wembanyama to unveil Star Wars inspired Nike 'Wookiee of the Year” shoes for Spurs home opener
In keeping up with his theme of being called an "alien," San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will be wearing Star Wars-themed shoes. Wemby's sneakers for his team's home opener against the Houston Rockets are called "Wookiee of the Year."
These are Nike GT Hustles that have been adorned with thick fur to resemble that of a Wookiee. The sneaker's monicker is a play on words and is meant to celebrate his Rookie of the Year Award win from last year.
Victor Wembanyama was the overwhelming favorite for last year's Rookie of the Year award. Of the 99 first-place votes, every single one went to him for a total of 495 points.
Chet Holmgren, who was the runner-up, did not get a single first-place vote. Instead, he got 98 second place and a single third-place vote.
Wemby was also close to winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award. He received 19 first-place, 44 second-place and 18 second-place votes for a total of 245 points. He was second only to the winner, Rudy Gobert, who had 433 points.
In his first NBA season, Wemby averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals and a league-leading 3.6 blocks.
Also read: Devin Vassell looks to step up alongside Victor Wembanyama, but can he do it?
Victor Wembanyama has released one shoe so far
Earlier this year in May, after the Spurs 2023-24 campaign concluded, Nike released an ad promoting Victor Wembanyama. The ad highlighted the French big man's tremendous stats in his rookie year, before unveiling Wemby's logo.
Several days after the ad was shown to the public, the first-ever Wemby-themed sneakers from Nike became available to purchase. First available on May 15, Nike released a special colorway for the Nike G.T. Hustle 2 dubbed "Alien."
It was priced $170 upon release. However, it is currently listed as "Sold Out" on Nike's official website.
These Nike G.T. Hustle 2 "Alien" were the first Wemby-inspired shoes to hit the shelves. While it isn't a signature design, fans still seemed to love it.
If he continues to perform well, fans might not have to wait long for Victor Wembanyama to announce his signature shoe line.
Wemby struggles from the 3-point line in Spurs season opener
The San Antonio Spurs started the 2023-24 season against their in-state rival Dallas Mavericks.
In that game, Wemby struggled to sink his 3-point shots. Out of eight attempts from beyond the arc, he only sank one. He also had trouble taking care of the ball as he turned it over four times. He finished the game with 17 points and nine rebounds.
His struggles did not help as the Spurs lost by 11 points (120-109).