Rising star Oscar Wembanyama shines at NBA Academy Games as a dynamic defender with potential for high-level D1 play
Like Victor Wembanyama gripped global fans’ attention as a teenager, his younger brother Oscar Wembanyama is doing the same. The 17-year-old recently participated in the NBA Academy Games, a high school-level tournament for basketball talents all over the globe (outside the USA). as part of the NBA Academy’s Select Team.
As the 3-day tourney concludes, insider Jonathan Givony labels the younger Wembanyama as a developing player with improving shot-making and apt defensive tendencies that can translate well in D1 basketball.
Oscar Wembanyama was part of the Select Team in the NBA Academy Games and faced off against Africa Blue (W 74-58), Global Academy (L 71-76) and Howard Pulley (W 93-66) from July 11 to July 13.
Wembanyama averaged 5 points on 42.8% shooting (1-5 from the three) alongside 3 rebounds, 1 steal and 0.6 blocks per game. His best outing came against the Global Academy where he scored quick 9 points within 11 minutes of action.
The academy also posted one of Oscar Wembanyama’s sequences on its Instagram.
Wembanyama picked up basketball late in his youth due to his inclination toward handball. He joined the U18 ASVEL Villeurbanne crew in 2022 and played 5 games until 2024. Nevertheless, the 6-foot-8 forward possesses enough athletic abilities to compete at a high level.
Oscar Wembanyama began hooping just 5 years ago
Oscar Wembanyama is pursuing the footsteps of his brother but has a basketball beginning distinctive to the San Antonio Spurs center. Victor Wembanayama came to the league with massive hype and clinched notable feats in his restrictive rookie season.
As the Spurs now build around him, there are generational expectations from the 7-foot-4 rarity. Most of Victor Wembanyama’s abilities come from early years spent on the court. He joined a Nanterre youth team as a 10-year-old. Younger Wembanyama, on the other hand, picked up basketball out of the regulations during the pandemic.
"There was a period when I was not doing anything because of COVID, and that emptiness pushed me to do something new, so I turned to basketball," Wembanayama said in a EuroLeague interview.
With that, expectations from the younger Wembanyama won’t be as high as the 2023 draft’s first pick.