Victor Wembanyama (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
NBA Draft rumors: Spurs hope Victor Wembanyama plays in Summer League
There has been much speculation about whether or not Victor Wembanyama will appear in Summer League action for the San Antonio Spurs, who have practically already drafted him with the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.
Wembanyama’s uniquely long, slender frame comes with natural injury concerns and he only just completed his season in France last week. International prospects tend to receive special treatment when it comes to Summer League play; international prospects of Wembanyama’s singular stature tend to head straight for the exempt list.
The Spurs, however, hope their future franchise cornerstone can make an appearance in Vegas. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the 7-foot-5 Frenchman is expected to participate to “some degree,” although he could ultimately just practice with the team as a previous reports indicated.
San Antonio’s first Summer League game will take place July 3 in Sacramento as part of the ‘California Classic.’ Their opponent? The Charlotte Hornets and presumably the No. 2 pick, be it Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller. The Spurs will play two games in Sacramento before making the flight to Vegas for Summer League proper.
It’s fair to expect the Spurs to handle Wemby with extreme caution. If he does appear, don’t expect a full-tilt workload. San Antonio has seen enough of Wembanyama in France to have a thorough understanding of his place on the roster.