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Despite Leaving LeBron James’ Ex-teammate in Shock, 7’4 Victor Wembanyama Has Youngsters Waiting for a Preseason Matchup

Published 10/15/2023, 4:21 AM EDT

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The entire world got to see a glimpse of Victor Wembanyama. The French sensation has played two preseason games, and the hype around him was no joke. Wembanyama put up amazing numbers in limited minutes and even had LeBron James’ former teammate in absolute shock in their most recent matchup.

San Antonio Spurs’ number one pick in the 2023 draft is turning heads everywhere he goes. The Wemby effect is such that he has other youngsters in the NBA eagerly waiting for a matchup with him.

Victor Wembanyama manhandles James’ ex-teammate

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Victor Wembanyama’s preseason highlights look too good to be true. Then again, it only shows that this is what he is capable of. Great shooting paired with excellent ball-handling skills.

USA Today via Reuters

And that is only a few aspects of his game on the offensive end of the floor. In their most recent matchup against the Miami Heat, Victor Wembanyama had a putback dunk in a paint full of players.

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His ability to finish in such a crowd and that too over every other player had Thomas Bryant in absolute awe. 

Now, with Wembanyama’s praises sung all around the league, other young guns cannot wait to take a crack at defending him. One such player is the Houston Rockets forward, Jabari Smith Jr.

Smith Jr. recently appeared on the Rocket Fuel Podcast where he displayed eagerness for his matchup with Wembanyama. While on the podcast, Smith Jr. said, Looking forward to it, seeing all the highlights & watching the games. It’s extraordinary to see, just his ability, so I want to play against him to see for myself.”

Rockets rookie eager to matchup with French Baller

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Jabari Smith was the third overall pick by the Houston Rockets last season. While Smith Jr. had a formidable year, many believed that he did not live up to the hype and should not have been drafted that high.

USA Today via Reuters

It takes a while for some players to get into the rhythm and gameplay of the league as opposed to their playstyle in college. And judging by the way Smith Jr. is eager to matchup with Wembanyama, it seems as if he is more confident in his game.

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Watch This Story: ‘Without Kevin Durant, LeBron James got Steph in his back pocket’, ex-teammate gives Lakers star an edge for 5th ring

The Houston Rockets will matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on October 17 in their next preseason game. Who do you think will come out on top? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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Written by:

Abhishek Dhariwal

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Abhishek Dhariwal is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports with a background in journalism and mass communication. Abhishek uses storytelling along with feedback gathering to curate elegant and exclusive content for ES. His writing covers a wide range of topics, from in-game coverage to off-court activities of NBA stars.
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Edited by:

Bilal Handoo