Victor Wembanyama’s rookie run and competition for the award

With a relatively slow start to the month, does the rookie still maintain the momentum to clinch his third Rookie of the Month award?

On Tuesday night, the San Antonio Spurs suffered their second defeat in just over seven days to the Houston Rockets. During their last two matchups, the Rockets’ defense has kept Victor Wembanyama on edge, holding him to an average of 11.5 points on 40.9% shooting. These numbers fall below Wembanyama’s season averages, clearly highlighting Houston’s defensive prowess.

Despite the rookie’s offensive struggles, he was honored with the league’s Rookie of the Month award for February before tipoff.

Now, nearly two weeks into March, I delved into Wembanyama’s monthly stats in comparison to other rookies. Early in the season, there was no debate that the two standout rookies were Chet Holmgren and Wembanyama. However, Holmgren has hit a recent slump, only managing to average 13.3 points and one block while shooting 44.1% from the field over his last six outings. These figures are notably lower than his season-long averages, potentially diminishing his candidacy for the March Rookie of the Month award.

Another contender in Wembanyama’s path is the rising Keyonte George, who is not only scoring more points than the Frenchman but also shooting efficiently, particularly from beyond the arc, where he boasts a 50% success rate on eight attempts per game.

Despite Wembanyama’s recent decline in shooting efficiency, his overall impact on the court remains significant enough to position him as the frontrunner for the award once again, overshadowing George. If he secures the award for March, Wembanyama would replicate last year’s achievement by Paolo Bancherro in winning the award three months in a row.

While I don’t agree with the idea said in the tweet, these types of plays can indeed be frustrating for me. However, they are par for the course when you have a young team still in the learning process.

Is this a new signature move from the Frenchman? The Wemby scoop dunk?

One thing is certain: the rookie always seems to deliver in clutch moments. On this particular night, his lone block came at a crucial juncture, less than two minutes before the end of the game.