Wembanyama shines as he learns

Victor Wembanyama soars for a dunk. —AFP

SAN ANTONIO—Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick this year in the National Basketball Association (NBA), is learning a lot in the NBA preseason.The French sensation had 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and three blocks in just under 23 minutes of play as the Spurs collected a 120-104 home win over a second-string Miami Heat.

“I’m still learning to do some things defensively, defending the pin downs, for example,” the 19-year-old said. “I’m really learning a lot, and I’m trying to expand my tools on defense, too.”

The 7-foot-3 Wembanyama brought the Frost Bank Center crowd to its feet with a furious dunk in the second quarter, and finished with 10-of-15 shooting. He produced a series of spectacular plays, both offensively and defensively, with the most eye-catching a remarkable left-handed dunk from outside of the restricted area in the third quarter.

Wembanyama said that he felt that both he and the team were developing an understanding with each other.

“I think we’re on the right path. We’ve still got a lot to learn about ourselves and also about our teammates but we are on the right path,” he said. —AFP