Victor Wembanyama’s pursuit of Rookie of the Year glory 

Despite a challenging game on Tuesday, Wemby remains at the forefront of the race for the ROY award

Entering Tuesday night, the NBA hype machine was buzzing with anticipation for the clash of the rookies, Victor Wembanyama versus Chet Holmgren.

However, the result was rather disappointing, as Oklahoma City secured a dominating victory with a 36-point lead. Both rookies struggled, combining for only 17 points on a dismal 28% shooting from the field across 25 attempts. This game served as a sobering reminder that these two players are still very young, and perhaps it’s premature to make them the focal point of prime NBA games.

Recent performances by San Antonio put things into perspective for the rookie. Despite Wembanyama’s thunderous start to the season, the primary goal for the Spurs remains long-term competitiveness. His situation is less than ideal compared to Holmgren, who benefits from playing alongside one of the best point guards in Shea Gildrous-Alexander. However, this hasn’t hindered Wembanyama from leading the way against other rookies.

Currently, he’s the odds-on favorite with Holmgren in second place. The two will face off three more times this season, making it interesting to see how they match up throughout the year. The race for Rookie of the Year promises to be thrilling, and hopefully, Wembanyama will maintain his lead come April.

While the game may not have been great, at least it produced my favorite photo so far. I believe the NBA should consider updating their logo to feature this epic moment.

It’s been a rollercoaster ride for Spurs and Wembanyama fans over the last 10 days, but brighter days lie ahead. The team is entering an easier stretch of the schedule, facing some below .500 teams.

Surprisingly, only Toronto Raptors’ breakout player Scotty Barnes has more blocks and steals than Wembanyama. I expect the rookie to surpass Scotty and lead the league in this stat by the end of the year.

A new addition to Wembanyama’s arsenal? In the past couple of games, he has showcased impressive slingshot passes. Count me as a big fan.