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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Victor Wembanyama was touted as a generational prospect even before he stepped foot on an NBA court or made his first basket. Even LeBron James hopped on the Wemby bandwagon back in 2022. Impressed by his fluidity and grace despite being nearly 7’4″ tall, James ended by coining his new nickname, “alien.” And Wembanyama has fully embraced the moniker. As a nod of approval, he even added an “alien” symbol to his NBA All-Star shoes that he debuted before the Panini Rising Star game.

Wemby kicked off the All-Star weekend festivities sporting his new Alien PE of the Nike GT Hustle with an outer space theme featuring an “alien” logo on the heel that he drew himself. This particular pair is from an exclusive collection, meaning it most likely won’t be available to the public.

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The All-Star weekend is going to be a long one for Wemby. After finishing with the Tech Summit, he is now gearing up for his first Rising Stars challenge – the annual showcase that features the league’s most promising young players. The Frenchman was selected as the first overall pick by Team Pau Gasol and will be going against a Detlef Schrempf-led seven-player group of G-league players.

Can Wemby win the Rising Stars MVP honors?

While the San Antonio Spurs are struggling to secure wins, they are still relevant solely because of the one-man highlight reel that is Victor Wembanyama. He is averaging 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.2 blocks in his first season in the NBA and has been not just living up to the No. 1 overall pick hype but exceeding it. If he continues this momentum for the rest of the season, he’ll be on pace to become only the tenth player in league history to rack up a 20-10-3 stat line for a season.

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Read More: NBA All-Star: Victor Wembanyama Makes Honest Confession About Busy Weekend in Indiana

He is on fire as of late, too, as his final two games leading up to the All-Star weekend saw him record a triple-double followed by a 26-point performance. He also achieved a rare feat: becoming the first rookie since David Robinson in 1990 to earn a triple-double with blocks after matching 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 blocks in Monday’s game against Toronto. Therefore, it won’t be surprising if he takes home the Rising Star MVP trophy. 

Chet Holmgren, who is close behind Wemby in the ROY rankings, is expected to put up a good fight. Holmgren has made a remarkable recovery from his Lisfranc injury and is averaging 16.7 per game, with 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while shooting an impressive 53.5 from the paint and 39.3 from beyond the arc. Sophomore guard Paolo Banchero is another candidate to consider for the MVP award. The sophomore guard and former ROY has been exceptional, with averages of 23 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists so far this season.

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Who do you think will win the Rising Stars MVP award? Let us know in the comments!

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