SAN ANTONIO — Although he may appear mild-mannered on the court, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama apparently engages in some trash talk during games.
And who can blame him?
Wemby can do it all on both sides of the court, whether blocking shots, dunking on defenses, or pulling up from the three-point line; he is just a dominant force.
However, his trash talk may not come across his opponents because of his 7-4 stature.
Following the games against the Spurs, Memphis' GG Jackson admitted Wemby was trash-talking during the game, but he could barely hear what Wemby had to say.
"He’s so high in the air, so when he talks trash, it sounds like he’s whispering," Jackson said.
So what was the Spurs rookie trying to tell Jackson? He dared Jackson to try to make a basket while he patrolled the paint, inferring he was too scared to do so.
"He was like, ‘Go back up, go, go. You scared, you scared, you scared.’ So, I had to remind him of that, ‘You said I was scared.’”
Wembanyama certainly backed up his trash-talk against the Grizzlies.
He scored 18 points, seven rebounds, and six assists and recorded seven of the Spurs’ 11 blocks.
He also did another "Shamgod" dribble move to the rim for the layup during the game.
Wemby's play against the Grizzlies made Jackson a fan, leading him to believe he's destined to be one of the greatest defenders the league has ever seen.
“I don't want to take a leap, but he's going to be one of the greatest defenders of all time when it's all said and done," Jackson said.
WEMBANAYMA LEAVES BRANDON CLARKE IN AWE
Jackson wasn't the only Memphis player that Wembanyama left in awe of his skill set.
Brandon Clarke got an up-close look at the rookie's dominance on the floor and praised him.
“He's a really good defender. His build is crazy. There’s no one else I've played with that build," Clarke said. "He’s very, very good offensively, too. He's very talented.”
Add Clarke to the countless NBA players who are amazed at what Wemby can do.