Getty Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White couldn’t help but be in awe of some of the things he saw from San Antonio Spurs rookie and 2023 No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama when their teams faced off.
“It’s crazy, the amount of shots he alters on defense,” White said via Bulls Postgame Live on December 21. “Offensively, he had the behind-the-head pass, the hee-hee was crazy. He’s just a different type of talent. I’ve never been on the floor with someone like that. So, for me, like I always say, I try not to take those things for granted.”
The Bulls limited Wembanyama to a season-low seven points on 37.5% shooting.
But he had five assists, five rebounds, three blocks, and two steals and he did not commit a single personal foul.
behind the back 🤯 https://t.co/JpekipC2fj pic.twitter.com/GqEHcbtXWF
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 22, 2023
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“Obviously, he’s gonna be really, really good in the coming years,” White insisted. “He’s really freaking good at basketball.”
Wembanyama, who was making his return from a one-game absence due to an ankle injury, is averaging 18.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game this season.
He sits atop the Kia Rookie Ladder, per NBA.com on December 20.
But 2022 No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder is the betting favorite for Rookie of the Year, per Vegas Insider.
Even if Wembanyama doesn’t win the away, his impact has been clear, like when White drove to the basket and scored on the big man in the third quarter.
“They could have called a foul because I held his arm on the sweep-through. Because I knew if I didn’t, he was probably gonna block it,” White said. “Just having to do that in your mind while he’s on you, obviously, disrupts you as an offensive player.”
CAN I HAVE THIS DANCE.@NBCSChicago | @CobyWhite pic.twitter.com/tQZzCZXR2z
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 22, 2023
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“Yeah, I made a nice move, whatever,” said White. “But probably nine times out of 10 or eight times out of 10, he’s probably blocking that or meeting me at the rim and altering that shot.”
And Wembanyama’s height only enhances an already-diverse skill set.
“Once he gets the ball in the paint, he’s 7’4”, he can shoot over you or around you, or he can read the defense and throw the pass over top,” White said.
Coby White Quotes Alex Caruso
The Bulls shot just 7-for-28 from beyond the arc in the contest. And they finished the first half with a four-point lead despite being 1-for-4 from deep. White credited Alex Caruso‘s message to the team throughout the game.
“Like AC was saying the whole night, ‘You’re not gonna shoot 50% from the three-point line every night. You gotta embrace the challenge, embrace what’s going on,’” White said. “AC just kept telling us that, kept telling us that. Like he said, you’re not gonna shoot the ball exceptionally well every night. So we gotta find ways to win.”
The Bulls finished the game plus-8 in the turnover margin.
They also got a big boost, specifically when it came to limiting Wembanyama’s effectiveness in the paint where he attempted just three shots on the night.
Andre Drummond’s ‘Physicality Changed the Game’ for Bulls vs Spurs
Bulls center Andre Drummond recorded 12 points, eight rebounds, five steals, two blocks, and one assist. But it wasn’t just what he did in the stat sheet.
“His physicality changed the game for us on both ends, on defense and on offense. Just getting to the glass, not allowing Wemby to feel comfortable in the paint, which he’s really good at,” White said. “But his physicality changed the game, I feel like, in both halves. He just came locked in, and he’s been doing that all year.”
Don’t forget about DRE 😤@NBCSChicago | @AndreDrummond pic.twitter.com/uV4nx5vx1o
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 22, 2023
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“He’s a big part of our team, and he’s a big part of our success,” White said. “The physicality he brings to the game, it’s well-needed each and every night.”