Without a doubt, Victor Wembanyama is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to defense, even if he’s a rookie in the league. But according to the San Antonio Spurs star , the Houston Rockets’ defense on him deserves some credit.
Just recently, the Rockets got a tough 103-101 win over San Antonio. Fred VanVleet led his team with 21 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, while Jalen Green added 16 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
For their part, the Spurs had point guard Tre Jones and forward Jeremey Sochan score 24 and 21 points, respectively. Wembanyama contributed 13 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks, as San Antonio’s record dropped to 14-52. This places the team dead last in the Western Conference.
The Rockets, meanwhile, are in 11th place with 30 wins and 35 losses. Even though, they’re not projected to make the Play-In Tournament, Houston has certainly improved its game, as compared to a horrible finish last season. This is evidenced by the team’s seventh-ranked defense among 30 teams in the NBA, making them better than other contenders vying for a ring this season.
San Antonio Spurs Rookie Victor Wembanyama Compliments Houston Rockets’ Defense This Season
After the game, Wembanyama spoke to reporters and gave praise to Houston’s defense. The leading candidate for Rookie of the year even gave a shout-out to Dillon Brooks, as seen in a tweet posted by Tom Orsborn on X:
“Wemby on the challenges of being defended by hard-nosed Dillon Brooks and all the other bodies the Rockets throw at him:
“The physicality, the energy. Every night it’s a challenge, but this is a very aggressive team defensively, so this is the most hard,” the San Antonio rookie said.
When it comes to defense, Wembanyama is no slouch either. The number one pick this season is third in defensive box plus/minus, just behind Nikola Jokic and Matisse Thybulle. This stat is best seen in most nights where the French star can be seen rejecting shots, grabbing rebounds, and disrupting passing lanes against opposing teams.
Given enough time, the Spurs will surpass what Houston is doing on defense this year. With Wembanyama as the team’s anchor on that end of the court, it’s only a matter of time before that happens. Thanks to a unique combination of size and talent, the French rookie will definitely be a hound on defense sooner than later.
More must-reads: