Despite entering the NBA as the most touted prospect, Victor Wembanyama does not seem to have the best of times lately.?In the news after an altercation with pop singer Britney Spears, the French-born had a disappointing debut with the San Antonio Spurs in the Summer League.

Among other things, the hoops world got a glimpse of the 19-year-old’s defensive prowess that day. Apparently, an NBA veteran had a close eye on Wemby and aired his defensive capabilities recently.

Lakers legend has his say on Victor Wembanyama’s debut game

Unsurprisingly, Victor Wembanyama’s debut was the major attraction of this Summer League. But the youngster came up with nine points, eight rebounds, three assists, and five blocks, which left fans craving for more.

After the game, Los Angeles Lakers icon Jerry West gave his assessment of the youngster on an NBA radio show. “You rarely see someone that combines his brain and his abilities. Just watching him [Wembanyama] play, it’s an easy game for him to play. If you watch really great players, they don’t look like they are working hard. They’re at the right place at the right time. If you watch him defensively, he ruins games,”?he said.

While the world around was unhappy to see the Frenchman struggling, West seems to have faith in Wemby. Perhaps the veteran knows that Rome was not built in a day. But the 85-year-old went one step further by associating Wembanyama’s performance with another NBA legend.

Jerry West draws parallels to a legend while lauding Wembanyama

During the otherwise lackluster debut, Victor Wembanyama exhibited incredible defensive abilities and blocked his opposition players numerous times. Those stylish and dominant blocks gained special attention. But it was Jerry West who gave the best compliment about Wemby’s defense.

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“He reminds me a little bit of a bigger Bill Russell, with a big reach. Coming from everywhere, blind sides. Any offensive player is gonna have to be really cautious about where he is because he’s gonna mess up some offenses,” West claimed.

West’s comments point toward the fact that only a solitary episode of Wemby’s saga has unfolded in front of our eyes. Let us hope for better days to come for the draft night hero.

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