7’4 Victor Wembanyama, Accused of Disrespecting Knicks Star, Gets MVP Shout-Out From Unbothered Jalen Brunson

In March when the San Antonio Spurs beat the New York Knicks 130-126, fans witnessed epic performances from Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson. Wemby made a 3-pointer that gave the Spurs a four-point lead in overtime and he also recorded his first 40 points, and 20 rebounds by a rookie (after Shaquille O’Neal’s 46 points and 21 rebounds in 1993 against Detroit Pistons). Wemby also recorded 7 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block while collecting his 39th double-double in 65 games. But Jalen Brunson snatched the spotlight with a career-high 61 points performance on 25-of-47 shooting.

Despite his stellar efforts, Wemby received criticism after the game for what some considered disrespect towards Brunson. However, the 20-year-old did not intend to harm anyone with his celebratory gesture of tossing the ball toward the crowd. Yet, as per the league’s rules, intentionally throwing or kicking the ball into the stands, even in celebration results in getting fined. Wemby was slapped with a fine of $25,000 for this act. However, the Knicks’ guard didn’t seem too bothered by the incident and was all praise for the youngster.

In a recent episode of the Roommates Show, Brunson stated that Victor had a legitimate chance to win the MVP award. He said, “If they [Spurs] top-5 seed, he’s in the [MVP] conversation.” Co-host and Knicks teammate Josh Hart further echoed Brunson’s sentiments. The 27-year-old added, “If they had 40 wins right now, he’s top-4 in the MVP voting.”

In his first season of playing NBA basketball, Victor Wembanyama has averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 71 games this season. These statistics become even more impressive when considering that Wembanyama achieved them while playing fewer than 30 minutes per game. And one of his best performances of the season came against the recent Knicks match and even the opponent, Jalen Brunson praised Wemby for his skills.

During the post-game conference, Brunson said, “He’s going to be one of the greatest players this game has seen… Just the way he’s built. What he’s been able to do so far. I have a lot of respect for him.”

The 20-year-old Frenchman has had a stellar rookie season, which has left several fans and some NBA hoopers in awe of his otherworldly (alien-like) potential. Widely regarded as the most sought-after draft prospect since LeBron James in 2003, Wembanyama even managed to exceed those lofty preseason expectations.

There’s no doubt that Victor Wembanyama has had a terrific rookie season. Many have even hailed it as the best season by a rookie. But how does his debut season stack up against the performances of basketball legends?

Is Victor Wembanyama already one of the best players in the NBA?

It’s safe to suggest that many expected Victor Wembanyama to have an instant impact on the San Antonio Spurs organization and the NBA as a whole. And Wemby didn’t disappoint. Impressive performances followed consecutively from the 20-year-old. However, few were as impressive as his performance against the Toronto Raptors on February 12, 2024. Wemby finished that night with a box score which read: 27 points, 14 rebounds, 10 blocks, 5 assists, and 2 steals. Furthermore, he shot 71.4% from the field and 50% from downtown during that game.

Such performances have put Victor Wembanyama in the same category as legends like Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson. Only 9 other players have succeeded in recording more than 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game in NBA history. Moreover, he’s the first player in NBA history to achieve such numbers in under 30 minutes per game.

Moreover, Wembanyama became the first player in NBA history to finish a season with more than 1500 points, 250 blocks, and 100 three-pointers. Many believe that when it’s all said and done, Victor Wembanyama could be the greatest player in NBA history. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that he’s already one of the best players in the league.