Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo enjoyed having a star matchup against one another throughout the San Antonio Spurs’ contest against the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 15.
Amid trade rumors surrounding Antetokounmpo and his future in Milwaukee, Wembanyama shared what he’s learning from the situation.
Victor Wembanyama’s Thoughts on Giannis Antetokounmpo
Wembanyama and the Spurs cruised to a convincing 119-101 victory over Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Thursday night.
Both stars played only 22 minutes in the game because San Antonio maintained a huge lead over Milwaukee throughout the night. Wembanyama had the edge as he finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks. Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo put up 21 points and five rebounds.
Wembanyama reflected on his experience playing against Antetokounmpo after the game, per reporter Maxime Aubin. Both stars share similarities as they are from outside the US, with the former from France and the latter from Greece.
The two also represent their squads as the leading face of their respective franchises, something that Wembanyama stated he is learning as much as possible from Antetokounmpo’s ongoing journey in the league.
“I’m trying to learn as much as I can, even though you have to acknowledge that every situation, every story is different — even more so for foreign players like us. I’m nobody to judge how his career has unfolded. I have a lot of respect for what he’s doing on the court and what he continues to do. I think he still has quite a few years ahead of him, and I’m very curious to see how the next chapter of his career will play out,” Wembanyama said.
Wembanyama Continues To Shine in His Third Season With the Spurs
It’s clear that Wembanyama has immense respect for Antetokounmpo, given how much the Bucks star has evolved into one of the best in the league. It can be the same for the Spurs center if he continues his rise as a potential face of the entire league.
Wembanyama has excelled throughout his third season in the NBA. Having played 27 games midway through San Antonio’s campaign, he is averaging 23.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, three assists, and 2.7 blocks per game. He is shooting 51.6% from the field, including 37.7% from beyond the arc, and 83.9% from the free-throw line.
San Antonio boasts a 28-13 record so far this season, controlling the second spot in the Western Conference standings. They are even with the Denver Nuggets in second place while being behind the Oklahoma City Thunder by 6.5 games.
The Spurs resume their three-game homestand as they prepare for the second in that frame. They host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. ET and the Utah Jazz on Jan. 19 at 5 p.m. ET.
