The NBA world was treated to quite a show on Tuesday night when the top two prospects in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft faced off in a prime-time showdown as 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama and his French club Metropolitans 92 took on explosive guard Scoot Henderson and G League Ignite.
While both prospects showcased their talent, Wembanyama stood out from everyone else on the court. The French do-it-all player showcased a long, 7-foot-4 frame as well as the skillset and athleticism of an elite guard.
During the game, Wembanyama scored a game-high 37 points, shooting 11-of-20 from the field and an eye-popping 7-of-11 from three-point range. He also used his length to block five shots in the contest. As NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reports, the performance had one NBA GM speculating that a lot of teams will be tanking this season.
“Victor distorts basketball reality,” one GM told ESPN on Wednesday. “The tank/trade market will really shift after that showing. It feels like last night will start a race to the bottom like we’ve never seen.”
The shocking comments caught the attention of the NBA world.
https://twitter.com/bobbykaralla/status/1577754031103033345?s=20&t=AmrBYlZkI4-Ue35kYOhekQ
As it should be.
This is one year where no one should point a finger at blatant tanking.
Relatedly, expect no unprotected 2023 first-round picks to get moved this season, unless the teams moving them are absolutely cemented in the top tier of the league. https://t.co/B6tjQVDqUA
— Morten Stig Jensen (@msjnba) October 5, 2022
While a lot of teams will likely try to tank and land that coveted No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, only one team can ultimately land the generational prospect. But whoever lands him is going to get one talented and extremely confident player.
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