Paul Skenes has become one of baseball’s most recognizable young stars, but his interest in professional sports apparently stops at the edge of the diamond. During an All-Star interview, Skenes acknowledged that he still knows very little about San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
“I know who he is. I don’t know how good he is,” Skenes said. “I know he’s pretty good.”
That represented progress from their previous conversation, even if only slightly. The interviewer explained that she asked Skenes about Wembanyama two years earlier during Skenes’ first MLB All-Star appearance. At that point, Skenes did not know who “Wemby” was at all.
This time, Skenes could at least identify the towering NBA star. However, his awareness came from an unexpected encounter rather than anything Wembanyama accomplished on the basketball court.
Skenes Explains How He Learned About Wemby
The exchange began when Skenes received a question about which sports he follows besides baseball.
“None,” Skenes answered.
When the interviewer repeated the question in apparent disbelief, Skenes once again said no. His answer helped explain why one of basketball’s biggest names had barely registered on his radar.
Skenes then recalled crossing paths with Wembanyama in New York a couple of years ago. The two encountered each other near an elevator, where Wembanyama’s extraordinary height immediately made an impression.
“He was getting on the elevator and he had to duck to get onto the elevator,” Skenes said.
That meeting gave Skenes a face and a memorable visual to associate with the nickname. It did not, however, lead him to start following Wembanyama’s career or watching Spurs games.
Skenes instead used Wembanyama’s recent contract extension to estimate his standing within the NBA. He asked whether the French star had just landed a new deal and noted that it carried a considerable value.
“Pretty big one,” Skenes said. “So he’s gotta be pretty good.”
The interviewer confirmed that assessment before bringing the brief conversation to an end. Amused by Skenes’ limited knowledge and matter-of-fact delivery, she called it the best interview of the All-Star festivities.
Wembanyama’s Spurs Contract Carries Major Value
Wembanyama agreed to a five-year, $252 million rookie extension with San Antonio, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The fifth season includes an option controlled by Wembanyama.
The 22-year-old could have pursued contract escalators capable of pushing the agreement to $303 million. Wembanyama instead selected the 25% maximum structure after discussing several possibilities with the organization.
That choice could preserve roughly $50 million in financial flexibility for San Antonio over the next five seasons. Wembanyama reportedly made the sacrifice to give the Spurs more room to build a sustainable championship contender around him.
“Spurs family, I’m here to stay,” Wembanyama wrote on social media. “Whatever it takes.”
The agreement became the third-largest rookie extension in NBA history. Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons and Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers remain ahead of him after each secured five-year deals worth $269 million.
Wembanyama entered extension talks after helping San Antonio reach the NBA Finals, where the New York Knicks eliminated the Spurs in five games. He finished the season averaging career highs of 25 points and 11.5 rebounds, along with 3.1 assists across 64 appearances.
He also led the league with 3.08 blocks per contest, earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and made the All-NBA first team. Wembanyama secured his second All-Star selection and his first start in the event.
Those accomplishments provide plenty of evidence behind Wembanyama’s enormous contract. Skenes might not follow the details of his basketball career, but he reached the correct conclusion anyway. A $252 million commitment usually means a player has moved well beyond merely “pretty good.”
Paul Skenes Makes Stunning Victor Wembanyama Admission