NBA Given his superb debut in the NBA, Victor Wembanyama never ceases to praise his peers and especially his compatriots. Nicolas Batum in particular expects big things from him, to which the Spurs pivot responded at a press conference.

The more time passes, the less doubt there is on the subject: Victor Wembanyama should finish Rookie of the Year. Chet Holmgren certainly wins many more matches than him with the Thunder, but this criterion has never weighed heavily in the balance regarding this trophy and there is no reason for that to change in 2023-24. Especially since voters are now clearly leaning in favor of the San Antonio pivot.

Already Rookie of the Month in January, he did it again in February and what could be more logical when we look at the stats over this period: 21.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, two interceptions and 3.9 blocks on average while he experienced his first XXL road trip with the Texans. Nothing to destabilize him though and he even allowed himself to beat big teams like OKC or the Pacers. The highlights are scary:

The best of February Western Conference @Kia Rookie of the Month Victor Wembanyama! #KiaROTM

21.3 PPG | 10.7 RPG | 4.5 APG | 3.9 BPG pic.twitter.com/80CTeozzQH

— NBA (@NBA) March 4, 2024

Victor Wembanayma soon to be king of 5×5? His honest opinion

Obviously, all this is very good news for the young interior but also for French basketball in general. His French elders are also following his progress with great attention and the least we can say is that they are not disappointed. While Wemby recently released a huge 5×5, Nico Batum even claimed that the nugget would be able to trivialize this historic feat .

Such predictions are very tempting, but they still need to be realized on the floors. Asked about the Sixers veteran’s comments after the victory against Indiana, the former Boulogne-Levallois responded honestly:

I hope he’s right. And yes, it’s sure, it’s sure it’s achievable, it’s sure.

Without getting too wet, the V nevertheless lets us understand that this would not be such an unrealistic objective given its capabilities. We imagine that initially, however, he will especially want to improve on a collective level since the Spurs are still last in the Western Conference (13 victories for 48 defeats). Everything relating to individual exploits is therefore relegated to second place in his eyes.

While Russell Westbrook became a benchmark for triple-doubles during the 2010s, can Victor Wembanyama do the same for 5×5? What is certain is that the San Antonio center has the necessary skills to achieve this. On this point it is difficult to contradict Nicolas Batum.