Victor Wembanyama made his NBA debut last year after being selected with the first overall pick in the 2023 draft by the San Antonio Spurs. In his first season, he showed a superlative level that allowed him to win the Rookie of the Year award and be included in the All-Defensive First Team, something that had never happened before. Despite these honors, his teammates continue to be surprised by his moves, including Chris Paul.
According to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, Paul marveled at one of Wemby’s moves during a recent Spurs practice. “(Paul had) watched Wembanyama gather a pass in transition a couple of feet behind the 3-point line, only to take a step with one foot, while the other never came back down to the floor,” Wright explained.
And then he revealed Chris Paul’s reaction to that brilliant play: “‘Oh, (expletive)!’ Paul said,” the journalist assured. And he added a laudatory comparison: “Wembanyama had just drilled a running one-legged 3-pointer, almost Dirk Nowitzki style.”
Chris Paul has high regard for Wembanyama
“Victor being here helped,” Chris Paul acknowledged after agreeing to join the San Antonio Spurs, making it clear that the presence of a player of Wembanyama’s stature was one of the factors that tipped the scales in his choice of his new team.
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs slaps hands with Chris Paul #3 during action against the Orlando Magic in the first half of a preseason game at Frost Bank Center on October 9, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
“I played against him this season, and I tell you, there’s probably no player in the league that everybody in the league talks about after the game like him,” Paul said at the time. And he did not spare praise for his French teammate: “I don’t think he has a limit… He’s one of those guys that after the game this past year we talked about how weird it was to guard him.”
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The Spurs’ new duo
San Antonio has high expectations for what Chris Paul can bring to the table this season, especially to complement the talents of Victor Wembanyama. However, that will be a partnership that will have to be built over the course of the regular season.
Paul and Wemby only shared the court in two games during the preseason: the 107-97 victory against the Orlando Magic (23 minutes for both, 11 points for Victor and five for Chris) and the 120-117 loss against the Miami Heat (8 points in 17 minutes for Wembanyama and 13 points in 25 minutes for Paul).
Undoubtedly, head coach Gregg Popovich has kept his stars safe so far and will bet on them to shine in the start of the regular season, this Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center.
