Even before the current season started, almost everyone knew Victor Wembanyama is going to be big in the NBA. For Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, though, he has seen what makes the San Antonio Spurs rookie special up close and personal.
Maxey and Wembanyama recently went to battle in a game between San Antonio and the 76ers. In that 133-126 win by the latter, the Spurs rookie dropped 33 points, 18 rebounds, six assists, and seven blocks in 43 minutes on the court. Malaki Branham performed well by posting 22 points on 53 percent shooting from the field. Meanwhile, both Tre Jones and Julian Champagnie both had 17 points each.
While Wembanyama’s performance made jaws drop, the win ultimately went to the 76ers after Maxey tallied 52 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 26 points, while Paul Reed stepped up in place of Joel Embiid by notching 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The win helped Philadelphia secure a spot in the Play-In Tournament as their record improved to 44 wins and 35 losses. The Spurs, on the other hand, have sunk to the bottom of the Western Conference with a 19-59 record.
Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey Reveals How He Knew San Antonio Spurs Rookie Victor Wembanyama Is Special
After the game, Maxey spoke to reporters about Wembanyama and revealed when he knew the Spurs rookie is going to be special. In a video shared by Sean Barnard on X:
“I knew (Wembanyana) was gonna be really good… He walks up to @TimMartin_TX and was like ‘Hey Tim I want to play Tyrese one-on-one… but he want to be on all time defense.”
Maxey recounts his first interaction training with Wemby. Very cool stuff pic.twitter.com/6A1x1fwvC6
— Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1) April 8, 2024
Over the course of his rookie campaign, Wembanyama has averaged 21.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals on a nightly basis. He’s also leading the NBA this season when it comes to blocks with 3.6 of them per game.
Maxey’s acknowledgment of Wembanyama’s talent is one of the many praises he has gotten this season. Without a doubt, sky is the only limit for the San Antonio Spurs rookie in the years to come. After putting up highlights on a nightly bases against the best stars in the NBA, there’s no reason for the French phenom to underwhelm when his sophomore year starts.
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