Victor Wembanyama took his supernatural talent to new heights on Thursday as he squared off against 2023 NBA Draft rival Scoot Henderson for the second time in a row this week, registering back-to-back 30+ point performances.
The projected No. 1 pick of next year’s draft class put on another dominant display against the G-League Ignite in Las Vegas, chalking up 36 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four blocks – all in about 37 minutes of action.
The French club and its 7-foot-4 phenom went on to win the game 112-105, even though Henderson, 18, left the floor in the first half with a knee injury after hurting himself in a collision with Wembanyama.
Victor Wembanyama, who’s 7-foot-4, put 36 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists on Thursday
Next year’s No. 1 NBA Draft prospect scored a total of 73 points in 2 games vs. G-League Ignite
He did not return to the G-League’s developmental team for the second half.
But that didn’t stop Wembanyama from being +26 on the floor in a revenge win after the 19-year-old and his teammates, who lost to the Ignite by seven points (122-15) on Tuesday. In that game, the 18-year-old scored 37 points, including 7-11 from behind the arc (11-20 FG).
France’s top basketball prospect will now return to his homeland to play in the French Basketball League (LNB Pro A) with the Metropolitans’ next competitive fixture against Le Mans on October 15th.
Prior to Thursday’s second and final matchup between both of next year’s top two draft picks, NBA icon Lebron James described Wembanyama as a ‘generational talent’ after watching the teen in-person in Game 1 on Tuesday in Sin City.
‘Everybody goes on about this unicorn thing, everyone’s been a unicorn over the last few years,’ James said after his LA Lakers suffered a 119-115 loss to the Phoenix Suns. ‘But he’s more like an alien.’
Wembanyama has been likened to an alien for his supernatural size and skill by LeBron James
Victor Wembanyama alongside 6-foot-2 Scoot Henderson (right), another elite NBA prospect
The ‘unicorn’ title has been tossed around NBA circles in recent years to describe any seven-foot-plus player who can dribble and shoot like a guard. Washington Wizards 7-foot-3 center Kristaps Porzingis is among the most notable to carry the moniker, but years of injuries and his shooting struggles have all but ended that talk.
Wembanyama, on the other hand, looked to have no trouble hitting 3-pointers, or anything else for that matter, in both matchups, as he scored a total of 73 points in back-to-back games this week.
‘It’s obviously an honor to see such great people talk like this about me, but it doesn’t change anything. […] I didn’t do anything yet. I didn’t play a game in the NBA yet. I wasn’t drafted. I’ve got to stay focused,’ said the French power forward, who can also play at center, in response to James’ comments.
Wembanyama showed off his dazzling array of skills in the second matchup between him and Henderson, who left Thursday’s game with a knee injury and 0 points
Rudy Gobert, French center for the Minnesota Timberwolves, greets Wembanyama post-game
Wembanyama’s performances on Tuesday and Thursday only cemented his status as the projected first pick of the 2023 Draft, leading some to wonder if he should sit out for the remainder of the French season to avoid injury ahead of next summer’s draft.
However, his agent told ESPN that ‘Wemby’ will do no such thing.
‘NBA people are telling me to shut him down, and we are not going to shut him down,’ player agent Bouna Ndiaye told ESPN on Wednesday. ‘If we came with that kind of talk to [Wembanyama], he will look at us and say, ‘What are you talking about?’ He’ll never agree to that. He wants to compete and get better. With Victor, it’s basketball first and everything else second. He was so pissed off that he lost.’
Henderson, meanwhile, scored 28 points in Game 1 before leaving the court hurt in the first quarter in Game 2 on Thursday.
The severity of his injury is not yet known, as only time will tell if he’ll be back for the G-League Ignite’s next fixture against the Oklahoma City Blue on Friday.
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