San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama emphasized on Sunday that he refuses to take any game lightly, insisting the NBA All-Star Game should be played with the same intensity as a regular-season contest.
“If I’m out there, I’m never stepping onto the court not caring. If I might as well be out there, I might as well win,” the 22-year-old center told reporters, explaining why he treated the exhibition in Indianapolis as a meaningful competition.
The 7-foot-4 French star’s approach drew praise from The Athletic’s Jared Weiss, who suggested Wembanyama could become a fixture at All-Star Weekend for the next decade and provide the event with a much-needed competitive spark.
Wembanyama acknowledged he is entering the league during a transitional era, with veterans such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant nearing the ends of their careers. “I’m part of something bigger,” he said. “I’m part of a big-picture mechanism.”
Asked whether he views himself as driving the evolution of skilled big men, Wembanyama replied, “Am I participating in the change? I think I am.”
In a league searching for its next standard-bearer, Wembanyama’s blend of talent, presence and determination was on full display—even in an exhibition setting.
Source: Hoops Wire
