What to Expect from Victor Wembanyama's NBA Summer League Debut

It’s the moment NBA fans have been waiting for what feels like years. Victor Wembanyama, the most hyped prospect since arguably LeBron James makes his NBA debut in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas on Friday when the San Antonio Spurs go up against the Charlotte Hornets.

And while the lights will be brightest on Wembanyama, he won’t be the only top prospect on the court in this game. No. 2 pick Brandon Miller will want to prove his worth as well.

So, what can we expect from pro basketball’s latest unicorn in his first taste of NBA action? Will he put on a performance worthy of being the odds-on preseason favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award? Or will there be some growing pains for the Spurs' young star?

San Antonio Spurs vs Charlotte Hornets odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook on July 7, 2023.

The Wembanyama hype is already taking off like a rocket. The Spurs opened this NBA Summer League matchup as six-point favorites and have bumped up to as high as -7. You can expect the line to keep trending in that direction as tip-off approaches due to the public’s love for the French Freak. That’s probably the only time that’s ever been stated about NBA odds for a Summer League game.

But to be honest, the hype is so much that I would wait to see if the line goes any further in Wemby and the Spurs' favor, and then I would consider taking the points with the underdog Hornets. It is a Summer League game after all, and that's a lot of points.

Wembanyama dominated the last time he played in Nevada

Wembanyama had 37 points on 11-for-20 shooting and 7-for-11 from deep against the G-League Ignite on October 4, 2022. And in that game, he faced off against Scoot Henderson, another top prospect in this draft class and the eventual No. 3 overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers.

In case you didn’t watch last night, projected #1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama went off for 37 points, 7 threes and 5 blocks against the G-League Ignite squad. pic.twitter.com/DCm8bOo4Y9

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) October 5, 2022

That game was basically just a showcase of the potential top two draft picks. So, Wemby already has some experience putting on a show while being center stage against other great young players.

Expectations for Wemby are sky high

Wembanyama clearly has massive expectations surrounding him. The 7-foot-3 Frenchman is a basketball unicorn in every sense of the word. There hasn’t really been a guy with his size that also has guard skills. Wemby has a soft touch on his jumper which he can hit regularly from the outside. 

On defense, obviously, he is a great rim protector, but his wingspan and almost surprising lateral quickness allow him to stay off-ball on when guarding the perimeter and close gaps between shooters almost instantly.

Wembanyama averaged 21.6 points on 47% shooting in 32.1 minutes per game for his LNB Pro A (French professional league) team the Metropolitans, and his player props for the 2023-24 season have his points scoring average at 18.5 points. He also added 10.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game over 34 games in the French League.

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA WITH A FEROCIOUS GAME-WINNING PUTBACK DUNK ????

???? https://t.co/0fEZTG2IeY pic.twitter.com/7mnCwOxu9s

— NBA (@NBA) January 9, 2023

Even though Wemby is unique, player comparisons will always be made. My favorite is Kevin Durant, another lanky 19-year-old kid when he entered the league. Durant averaged 20.3 points per game in his rookie campaign back in 2008.

There is some concern Gregg Popovich won’t push the young Frenchman too hard. But the last time he drafted a generational big man, that wasn’t the case. Tim Duncan averaged 21.1 PPG and 39.1 MPG in his rookie season.

With his skill set and mentality, be confident in Wemby cracking the 20-point plateau on Friday night.

Wembanyama isn't the only rookie worth watching

As mentioned, Wembanyama won’t be the only top prospect on the court in this matchup. No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller will also suit up and will want to prove he’s just as worthy a player to be considered the top rookie in 2023-24.

The former Alabama star has had an up-and-down performance so far in the NBA Summer League. In his first game against the Wembanyama-less Spurs, he went 5-for-11 from the field, including 3 of 7 from 3-point range, for 18 points. And that’s not all. Miller stuffed the stat sheet with five rebounds, three assists, a block, and a steal.

Brandon Miller gets on the board and the crowd shows support ???? pic.twitter.com/N38WZ6uTwZ

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 5, 2023

Game 2 didn’t go as smoothly. He only took four shots, ending with six points and eight fouls (it’s the Summer League). But he found other ways to contribute with four boards and seven assists.

Overall, Miller is the fourth favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award. But he’s not my favorite value play in this futures market. That honor belongs to Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren at +450.

Player	Team	Position	Odds
Victor Wembanyama	San Antonio Spurs	C	-200
Scoot Henderson	Portland Trail Blazers	PG	+350
Chet Holmgren	Oklahoma City Thunder	C	+450
Brandon Miller	Charlotte Hornets	SF	+1,000
Amen Thompson	Houston Rockets	SG	+1,800
Cam Whitmore	Houston Rockets	SF	+2,000
Ausar Thompson	Detroit Pistons	SG	+2,200
Jarace Walker	Indiana Pacers	SF/PF	+2,500
Anthony Black	Orlando Magic	PG/SG	+3,000

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook, July 7, 2023.

Holmgren missed his entire rookie season due to an injury, but he’s healthy and has looked really good in Summer League action. And I think having the extra year to recover, train, build up bulk, and just learn your team's system is a big deal when the players are this young, and gives Holmgren a big edge among his fellow rookies. 

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