In his very first All-Star appearance, Center Victor Wembanyama dominated the competition and displayed the most heart and energy out of everyone on the floor.
And despite the loss to Shaq’s OGs in the final, Victor’s performance gave the NBA hope for future All-Star Games.
First off, Wemby played defense, something the All-Star Game has sorely lacked. He took on all he faced and didn’t back down.
Unfortunately, his teammates didn’t match his energy, which clearly frustrated the young star, especially after his team started off down 11-0 after shooting 0-10 from the field and 0-6 from the three-point line.
Despite the rough start, Wembanyama led the team scoring with 11 points while adding 3 rebounds and 1 block, but it wasn’t enough as his team, captained by Charles Barkley, fell to Shaq’s OGs, led by Steph Curry, 41-25.
On the final play of the game, Wemby’s teammate Alperen Sengun gave up a free dunk that ended the game, a decision which upset the Spurs star.
While Chuck’s Global Stars lost, Wemby’s frustration was a win for the league for the NBA has been ripped for the lack of effort and conern that players have put forth in recent years. And that they passion and heart comes from one of the game’s brightest young stars speaks volumes about the future.
While the NBA has made changes to the format year after year to improve the quality of the All-Star Game, I believe that the tweaks don’t matter if the best players don’t put forth real effort.
Wemby’s attitude, which was noted by many players, could be the NBA’s solution and it could motivate young players to follow suit.
“He took the NBA All-Star game seriously. He played hard. He showed his unique abilities in every aspect,” said All-Star Game MVP Steph Curry.
“He’s competitive, smart, an interesting guy..,” said his teammate, Shai Gilgeous Alexander.
Despite the new controversial format, suspect play from the star players, and frustration from fans and the media about the product on the floor, we witnessed a young generational athlete give everyone hope about the game’s future through is hustle, emotion and heart.
That’s how you make an impression in your first All-Star game.
