LAS VEGAS — Victor Wembanyama’s summer league has officially come to an end, with the San Antonio Spurs deciding Monday to shut down the No. 1 pick in last month’s NBA draft after a stellar second game here in Sin City.
Wembanyama, who bounced back from a dubious debut with a 27-point, 12-rebound performance in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, said after the game that he would sit down with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and decide whether he would continue playing.
“I know I got to talk with Pop,” Wembanyama said Sunday when asked whether he was going to play more in Vegas. “I’m going to listen to what he’s going to say, but I’m ready to make any sacrifice for the team and give 100%.”
But although it wasn’t official that Wembanyama would be done for the summer, his news conference all but shouted that this would be the eventual outcome. He talked about the fact he would be away from the media for at least the next month, and how he was excited to sit down with the Spurs and map out a plan for the next 2-3 months to put himself in the best possible position to be ready for the start of his rookie season this fall.
In his NBA 2K24 Summer League debut Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets, Wembanyama had a rough outing, shooting 2-for-13 from the field and admitting he felt lost at times on the court. But after a slow start against Portland, Wembanyama came on in a big way, dominating the game in the second quarter and nearly willing the Spurs all the way back to a victory.
Now, though, he’ll shift his focus to his first full season in the NBA, which he’ll enter with arguably bigger expectations than any rookie since LeBron James arrived in the league 20 years ago.
“Like, this past month, I think basketball wasn’t even 50% of my schedule,” Wembanyama said. “I can’t stand it. I know it’s a special moment in my life, but I’m just glad it’s over, honestly. I just want to hoop, work out and lift.”
