Victor Wembanyama's Jersey Typo Trolled By Fans in Spurs vs. Steph Curry, Warriors
Nov 25, 2023
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - NOVEMBER 24: Close up of Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs jersey during the game against the Golden State Warriors on November 24, 2023 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
It's no secret that a last name like Wembanyama is a unique one in the NBA.
And it appears that the San Antonio Spurs' equipment staff are still getting used to the spelling on rookie star Victor Wembanyama's jersey. The No. 1 overall pick had a slight typo to begin Friday night's matchup against the Golden State Warriors.
Instead of the usual spelling, the back of his jersey read "Wembanyana."
Just the slightest of mistakes, but a noticeable one. It wasn't a huge deal though as Wembanyama changed his jersey at some point in the first half.
Luckily, it didn't affect his game much as the 19-year-old had a team-high 17 points at the end of the third quarter.
Nonetheless, a few NBA fans had a fun laugh at the mistake.
Is it particularly hard to pronounce “WembanyaMA” correctly? Especially the end of his name? We’ve already heard “Wembanyana” a couple time on TV, and they even printed his name wrong on his jersey tonight.
Friday's game was an in-season tournament matchup but the Spurs are already eliminated from possibly advancing to the next round. They are in last place in the Western Conference's Group C, trailing the Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Warriors.
San Antonio is tied for the worst record in the Western Conference.
Kawhi Leonard Praises Spurs Fans After Popovich Tells Them to Stop Booing During Game
Nov 23, 2023
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 17: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers handles the ball in the fourth period against the Houston Rockets during an NBA In-Season Tournament game at Crypto.com Arena on November 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard seemingly had no hard feelings about San Antonio Spurs fans booing him during Wednesday's 109-102 road win over the Spurs.
Per Raul Dominguez of the Associated Press, Leonard said the following regarding the reception he received from fans of his former team:
"If I don't have a Spurs jersey on, they are probably going to boo me for the rest of my career. It is what it is. They are one of the best fans in the league and they are very competitive. Once I stand on this basketball court out here, they are going to show that they are going for the other side. When I'm on the streets or going into a restaurant, they show love. It is what it is."
Leonard was booed often during Wednesday's game, particularly when he was at the free-throw line.
The boos were so loud and intense that longtime Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich got on the microphone at the scorer's table and implored the crowd to stop, saying: "Excuse me for a second. Can we stop all the booing and let these guys play? Have a little class. It's not who we are. Knock off the booing."
Popovich's appeal didn't work, as the boos grew even louder. They didn't seem to throw Leonard off his game either.
The five-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP finished with a game-high 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting. He also made all four of his free-throw attempts.
Leonard spent his first seven NBA seasons with the Spurs and helped lead them to a championship in 2014.
When it became clear that he had no intention of signing a contract extension with the team, Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2018, and during his one and only season north of the border, he helped the Raptors win their first NBA title as well.
Leonard has spent the past five seasons with the Clippers, but injuries have taken a toll on him, and the Clips have not been perennial title contenders like most expected.
While the Clippers are off to an uneven 6-7 start this season, they have won three games in a row, and could be contenders if the likes of Leonard, Paul George and James Harden stay healthy.
Gregg Popovich on Telling Spurs Crowd Not to Boo Kawhi: 'You Don't Poke the Bear'
Nov 23, 2023
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 22: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers talks to Head Coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs after the game on November 22, 2023 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)
During Wednesday's game between the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs, a bizarre moment occurred when Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich got on the mic and told fans in attendance at Frost Bank Center to stop booing Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.
While many initially believed that Popovich was trying to stand up for his former player, he succinctly explained after the game that he simply was warning fans not to "poke the bear."
"Anybody that knows anything about sports. You don't poke the bear."
Popovich may have had a point, as Leonard scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Clippers to a 109-102 victory. However, fans continued to boo him each time he touched the ball.
For his part, Leonard said he didn't even realize it was Popovich on the mic:
Kawhi Leonard on Poppovich telling fans not to boo him: "I was focused. I didn't know if it was him or not... They're a very classy organization, and I'm pretty sure he wants to keep it that way."
Leonard began his career in San Antonio, helping to lead the team to an NBA championship in 2014. He later requested to be traded from the Spurs and landed with the Toronto Raptors, where he won his second title in 2019.
Fans in San Antonio could be tired of Leonard being on the opposing side, as he improved to 11-3 against the Spurs since he departed the team.
Kawhi Leonard Gets Love from Popovich, NBA Fans in Clippers Win vs. Wembanyama, Spurs
Nov 23, 2023
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas, Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard played so well on Wednesday that even his former head coach was in his corner.
Leonard finished with a game-high 26 points to lead the Clippers to a 109-102 road win over the San Antonio Spurs. While his offensive performance was impressive, a surreal moment happened when Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich grabbed the microphone in the second quarter and told the crowd to stop booing Leonard while he was shooting a free throw.
Of course, Spurs fans at Frost Bank Center continued to boo Leonard whenever he touched the ball, but that only seemed to fuel him. He shot an efficient 10-of-17 from the field and added four rebounds, four assists and two steals while playing his trademark exceptional defense on the wing.
Thanks to Leonard's efforts, the Clippers managed to overcome a 22-point, 15-rebound outing from Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama. Los Angeles also got 24 points from Paul George, though he struggled with his efficiency and finished 8-of-23 from the field. James Harden added 16 points and nine assists.
But it was Leonard who was the hero of the night on Wednesday, and fans on social media showed him the same love Popovich gave him:
The Clippers have high expectations this season after going all-in to acquire Harden. If Leonard continues playing like he did on Wednesday, Los Angeles will have a good chance to be one of the top title contenders in the Western Conference.
Leonard and the Clippers (6-7) will be going for their fourth straight win when they return to action on Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans (7-7).
Victor Wembanyama's Spurs NBA Debut Jersey Sells for $762K at Auction
Nov 21, 2023
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 20: James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers handles the ball while Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense during the game on November 20, 2023 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photos by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)
Victor Wembanyama hype has reached a fever pitch in the memorabilia game.
A jersey worn by the San Antonio Spurs rookie sold Tuesday for $762,000 at a Sotheby's auction. The jersey was originally expected to fetch between $80,000 and $120,000, but the hype surrounding Wembanyama allowed the bids to more than sextuple the highest initial estimate.
Wembanyama had 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and one block during his NBA debut last month. The jersey at auction was worn in the second half, when Wembanyama put on a late-game show after struggling with foul trouble.
Considered the most hyped basketball prospect since LeBron James, Wembanyama hype has been through the roof for years at this point. An NFT trading card sold for just over $110,000 earlier this month—a jaw-dropping number, especially given the current state of NFTs as investments—and a summer-league jersey fetched over $60,000.
Suffice it to say these are not the type of numbers typically put up by a rookie.
Of course, the same can be said about Wembanyama on the court. The 7-footer is averaging 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game this season. While the individual success hasn't resulted in many victories for San Antonio, at least one bidder is banking a hefty sum that the wins will soon follow.
Spurs' Jeremy Sochan Talks Transition to PG: Sometimes 'It's Like, 'F--k This S--t'
Nov 20, 2023
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs talks with Jeremy Sochan #10 during game against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half at Frost Bank Center on November 18, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Jeremy Sochan's transition from power forward to point guard this season has been a bit of a mess—and he knows it.
"It is the first time I have ever played point guard in my life," Sochan said, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN. "I am doing it. I am making a transition like this in the NBA, which is rare. You don't see a lot of people going from power forward to point guard.
"There have been moments where it's like, 'Yo, I don't want to.' It's like, 'f--k this s--t.' I'm going to be honest. There have been moments where there isn't confidence. But there are moments of being confident and just working. Knowing the trust I have from the coaches and players, it helps."
The Spurs, a team that's decidedly less interested in winning basketball games than developing their young talent, has thrown Sochan into a full-time point guard role as Gregg Popovich toys with a big lineup. Popovich called Sochan his "official 2023-24 experiment."
A 2022 lottery pick out of Baylor, Sochan played power forward his rookie season and showed open-court ball-handling skills and a strong IQ as a passer. That was enough for Popovich to abandon the traditional point guard role and hand things over to Sochan, which has been more of a miss than a hit so far in 2023-24.
Sochan is averaging 10.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game as the Spurs sit 3-10. The team defense has not created the havoc Popovich wanted with long arms all over the perimeter, and the offense has sorely missed traditional playmaking. San Antonio has understandably looked like a more functional offensive unit with Tre Jones manning the point off the bench.
Of course, the Spurs are not playing for this year. They're trying to build a cohesive team around Victor Wembanyama, and Sochan's time at point guard this season will force him into being a better ball handler and passer moving forward.
San Antonio will eventually have to acquire a traditional guard to man the offense, but for now, Popovich appears to enjoy stretching his young players to their limits and hoping it pays dividends down the road.
Victor Wembanyama Says Spurs Are 'Learning' Amid 3-game Losing Streak, 3-5 Start
Nov 9, 2023
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 08: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on from the bench against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter in the game at Madison Square Garden on November 08, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Victor Wembanyama isn't letting the San Antonio Spurs' three-game losing streak get to him, noting the young team is still "learning" to play with one another after Wednesday's blowout loss to the New York Knicks.
"We're learning," Wembanyama told reporters after the Spurs' 126-105 loss. "As a young team, any team really, we're going to go through losing streaks sometimes during the season in tough times. It's going to happen. But the most important thing is how we bounce back."
Wembanyama finished with 14 points and nine rebounds in a quiet Madison Square Garden debut, knocking down just four of his 14 shot attempts.
While it's clear Wembanyama is going to develop into a special player on both ends of the floor, these growing pains were expected. The Spurs were never going to be a serious playoff contender. This is a team that won 22 games last season, and its biggest offseason acquisition was a 19-year-old. Even the greatest players in NBA history take time to develop.
Wembanyama is already a dominant force on the defensive end, but his offensive game clearly needs fine-tuning. He's shooting just 29.3 percent from three-point range, ranking 145th among 159 qualifying players so far this season, and he's averaging nearly two times as many turnovers (3.5) as assists (1.8).
These were the two areas of weakness that showed up on Wembanyama's game tape, so it should not be much of a surprise to see him struggling against NBA competition.
"Some teams will for sure try to attack him and whatnot, be very aggressive with him, physical with him," guard Tre Jones said. "But it is what it is, and as long as he continues to develop like we know he will, it'll be like that for however long he plays, and so it's something that we'll just get used to.
"We will have to just have that in our minds right away to know that we got to come out, be the ones that bring it to these teams."
The Spurs will be more than happy to allow Wembanyama to continue developing at his own pace, knowing the result could be one of the most transformative players in this generation.
Victor Wembanyama Disappoints NBA Fans in MSG Debut as Brunson, Knicks Beat Spurs
Nov 9, 2023
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 08: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts against the New York Knicks during the first quarter in the game at Madison Square Garden on November 08, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Hours before Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs rookie big man Victor Wembanyama stood on the court in Madison Square Garden and told reporters he was surprised the famed arena wasn't as big as he'd thought it would be.
The Garden must have seemed monstrous with the nearly 20,000 Knicks fans in attendance, as Wembanyama put forth a disappointing performance in his MSG debut as the Spurs suffered a 126-105 loss to fall to 3-5 this season.
The 2023 No. 1 overall pick finished with 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting while adding nine rebounds, two assists and one block. He was held to two points in the first half and was 0-of-7 from the field before making his first shot late in the third quarter.
While Wembanyama has all the talent and potential in the world, he's shown a lack of aggression at times throughout this season. He was rendered virtually nonexistent for most of Wednesday's game while facing the second-ranked defense in the NBA. The 19-year-old was pushed around all night by the Knicks frontcourt of Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein and Julius Randle.
Fans on social media didn't hold back their disappointment in Wembanyama's MSG debut:
It's still early in the season, so it's understandable that Wembanyama is still adjusting to the NBA. However, he won't be let off the hook for shrinking under the bright lights.
NBA stars are giving Wembanyama their best effort, so he has to be prepared to match that level of intensity each time he's on the floor.
Wembanyama will look for a better showing when the Spurs return to action on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Spurs' Victor Wembanyama: Knicks' Madison Square Garden 'Not as Big as I Expected'
Nov 8, 2023
San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama runs upcourt during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs star rookie big man Victor Wembanyama is making his debut at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday when his team will visit the New York Knicks.
Before the game, reporters asked him about his impressions of MSG:
"It's not as big as I expected but still the vibe is here," Wembanyama said in part.
He also cited the Knicks' "passionate fans" and added: "I've heard from so many people that this is the best basketball gym in the world. I'm eager to find out. I'm definitely expecting some good team and individual performances here."
Wembanyama has impressed through seven games, averaging 19.4 points on 46.2 percent shooting, 8.4 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.3 steals.
He's met the hype and then some so far with a few tremendous performances, particularly a 38-point outing against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns in a 132-121 win on Nov. 2.
Now he'll be under the bright lights of MSG in a nationally televised game on ESPN, but nothing has seemed too big for him right now.
Wembanyama has displayed a penchant for finishing strong in fourth quarters and overtime, even after slow starts. Of note, he had nine points and three blocks in the fourth quarter of a 115-114 comeback win over the Suns in which the Spurs once trailed by 20.
The Knicks may present a tougher matchup for Wembanyama with defensive-minded center Mitchell Robinson patrolling the paint. Robinson has been a rebounding machine (12.4 RPG) so far and is coming off a four-steal outing against the Los Angeles Clippers.
But Wembanyama has proven to be up for tough tasks so far. We'll see how he performs soon enough in his first game at MSG.
Tom Brady Posts Photo with Victor Wembanyama on IG: 'Incredible Young Man'
Nov 8, 2023
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 5: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs greets fans before their game against the Toronto Raptors at Frost Bank Center on November 5, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Tom Brady has caught Wemby fever.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion met San Antonio Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama and posted a picture of them together on Instagram, calling the 19-year-old an "incredible young man."
Brady also took a friendly jab at Julian Edelman in the post, asking if "this is how you felt all those years???" because of his smaller stature. Edelman used a Michael Scott GIF in the comments to answer his former quarterback.
Brady also joked about his height in comparison to Wembanyama in a subsequent post on his social media:
Media outlets asking for permission to use this photo. Yes you may, here is the file. Disregard other photoshopped images of me and Victor. pic.twitter.com/veDqfGkA3a
Wembanyama also met with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin during his off day in New York. He's got a memorabilia and trading card deal with the sports collectible outlet that pays him an estimated $5 million per year.
One thing that stands out about every picture Wembanyama is in is how much he towers over everyone. Brady is a big guy at 6'4" and 225 pounds, but the top of his spiky hair barely comes up to Wembanyama's neck.
Wembanyama is making a strong impression on everyone. His 38 points in a 132-121 win over the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 2 were tied for the third-most by a player in Spurs history.
The next step in Wembanyama's young career will be showing off his skills in front of a New York crowd. The Spurs will play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
