WATCH: Victor Wembanyama flexes unusual dexterity with the ball after introducing NBA to the 'scoop dunk'
Victor Wembanyama's athleticism and dexterity were on full display when the San Antonio Spurs rookie pulled off a 'scoop dunk' — a rather unique and unstoppable move he showcased when his side played the Houston Rockets at the Frost Bank Center on Tuesday. Jae'Sean Tate and Jalen Green double-teamed the Frenchman as he made his way to the rim, but in a move that no one saw coming, he spun around Green, scooped up the ball, and dunked it in, using his height for maximum advantage.
Safe to say, this could be one of the moves Wembanyama will be using to full effect when he's double-teamed by a side that fields a small ball lineup.
His efforts went in vain though, as the Spurs went down 101-103. Victor Wembanyama finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Tre Jones finished with a game-high 24 points and Jeremy Sochan recorded 21 points. Fred VanVleet had 21 points to lead the Rockets and Green scored 16 points. The loss puts the Spurs at 14-52.
Paul George picks Victor Wembanyama over Chet Holmgren for Rookie of the Year honors
Since the start of the season, OKC Thunder star Chet Holmgren and Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama have been locked in for winning Rookie of the Year. Recently, LA Clippers superstar Paul George shared his two cents on which of the two deserved to win the award. Speaking on his podcast Podcast P with Paul George, the 9x NBA All-Star said Wembanyama deserved it over Holmgren.
“I’m gonna give it to Wemby. Like, Chet is on a winning team. He’s got a great group of young guys around him. So, not much pressure is solely on him. The expectation from Wemby is extremely high. He’s playing on a young team as well but they’re not as successful.”
This season, the Spurs have endured another woeful run. Wembanyama was one of the bright spots and lived up to the hype of being labeled as a generational superstar, averaging 20.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game. One of his record performances was a rare block-included triple-double against the Toronto Raptors as the rookie proved his mettle to survive in the toughest leagues.
The big question will be whether the Spurs will shut down Victor Wembanyama for the last few games of the season. With 65 games being the count to be considered for any awards, chances are that he will play a few more contests (he's played 58 games so far) to be in consideration for the marquee award. Only time will tell if San Antonio will close it out after the number.