Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama dismisses Michael Jordan statistical comparisons

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs take on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Later, the legend who is often compared to James by many took center stage in the Spurs superstar’s answers.

With five steals and five blocks in the Lakers’ 123-118 loss, Wembanyamana became the first player since Michael Jordan to hit those numbers in back-to-back games. Achieved both numbers in his last game against the Sacramento Kings.

When asked how he compares to arguably the greatest basketball game of all time, the generational rookie dismissed the comparison.

“I want to know he did it in victory, not in defeat,” Wembanyama said. “For me, this is secondary. Hopefully in the future we will look back and feel that this was a good performance. As of today, I cannot be satisfied with failure.”

Victor Wembanyama had a historic night for Spurs

Friday’s five blocks and five steals were just the tip of the iceberg for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Bunyama finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, becoming the youngest player ever to record a “5×5” game, which is when a player scores at least one of the above statistics Got 5 plays. category.

He played 30 minutes and 55 seconds against Los Angeles, the fewest minutes among the 15 “5×5” games in NBA history. He did it against James and Anthony Davis, which makes his performance even more impressive.

“Certainly, there are challenges. One of the best duos in the league, but I still think if we play this way we’re going to beat a lot of teams.”

Victor Wembanyama surged in minutes

After averaging 28 minutes per game before the All-Star break, Wembanyama played a total of 31 minutes (when rounded) in the next two games, including a 127-122 loss to the Kings.

Much of the limited playing time is due to an ankle injury that occurred in December, but another layer is the natural grind that NBA rookies face during an 82-game schedule.

“How my body feels, to be honest, at this point in the season, my body feels really good. I got hit a few times here, so it hurts, but it’s OK,” Wembanya concluded his comments Shi said while pointing to his chest.

The French star said his 7-foot-4 frame is ready for a heavier workload.

“I’m eager to get more playing time and use that time to help the team because sometimes it feels like I’m on the bench for a long time. That’s the job we have to do. “We have to work with the team and the medical staff People work together to solve this problem. “

The 20-year-old wonderkid insists he will adapt to whatever comes next. He’s right, averaging 20.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and a league-leading 3.3 blocks in 28.5 minutes per game this season.

“My stamina is only as good as the minutes I’m going to play. If I play 44 minutes tomorrow, I’ll be tired, but if I play 44 minutes five games in a row, I’ll get used to it. It’s that simple.”