Google News Victor Wembanyama responds to LeBron James' high praise
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Victor Wembanyama says it is an honor to hear Lebron James speaking very highly of him but underlined that he hasn't yet accomplished anything in the NBA. Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 stunning French prospect, is widely expected to go as the first overall pick next year.
Wembanyama is something that really hasn't been seen ever before - a 7-foot-4 center that can dribble, shoot, and play defense extremely well. Wembanyama seems like a perfect player created in a video game as James described him as a "generational talent" and "an alien." "It's obviously an honor to see such great people talk like this about me, but it really doesn't change anything.
I was like, 'Oh that's cool.' But no more. I have to try to stay focused. The thing is, I didn't do anything yet," Wembanyama said, per ESPN.
What James said about Wembanyama
"Everybody has been labeling this unicorn thing. Everybody has been a unicorn for the last two years, but he's more like an alien.
I've never seen -- no one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is, but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor. His ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot step-back jumpers out of the post, step-back 3s, catch-and-shoot 3s, block shots, he's for sure a generational talent," James said of Wembanyama.
On Thursday, Wembanyama led his Metropolitans 92 to a 112-106 victory over G League Ignite. Wembanyama dropped 36 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 assists in the win. "I didn't play in an NBA game yet," Wembanyama noted.
"I wasn't drafted, so I've got to stay focused to reach my goals. Because it's going to be tough to get better every day and stay consistent." After Wembanyama dropped 37 points on G League Ignite on Tuesday, several NBA executives approached his agent and advised him to have Wembanyama sit out this entire season, so he doesn't risk sustaining a serious injury before his draft eligibility.
However, that won't be happening. "NBA people are telling me to shut him down, and we are not going to shut him down," 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."