SAN ANTONIO — If any two people could relate to the external expectations San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is experiencing, they were sitting inside the visitor’s locker room of the American Airlines Center on Tuesday night.
Before the Lakers traveled to San Antonio for Wednesday’s matchup against the Spurs, their first game of the season facing the No. 1 pick in June’s NBA draft, Anthony Davis was speaking to reporters about the expectations of being the top pick in the draft. And the hopes of having the ability to turn around an NBA franchise that comes with that status.
It’s a topic that’s a familiar one for Davis, who went No. 1 to the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2012 draft. And the teammate who was sitting to his right, LeBron James, who the Cleveland Cavaliers made the No. 1 pick in 2003, knows even more about those expectations.
So as Davis spoke, he interrupted himself to yell over to James and ask, “What [did] you do in your rookie year?”
James replied: “As far as what?”
Davis asked: “Playoffs?
And Bron joked: “Nah, sat on my couch.”
Davis’ ultimate point: “Don’t think that you have to turn the franchise around in your first year.”
He added: “Even the greatest ever to lace them up didn’t do it in his rookie year. So I think you just slow roll it, take your time and each year your game just gets better and better.”
Even though Wembanyama has shined individually, it’s been a rough start to his NBA career from a team perspective.
The 7-foot-4 French big man entered Wednesday averaging 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.8 blocked shots, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
But the Spurs entered Wednesday on a 17-game losing streak and at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
“He’s got probably the best coach to ever do it over there with him to help him do all that,” Davis said, referencing Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. “To be in his ear. Just, it’s tough. Obviously a lot of pressure. Pressure on you to perform well from the outside.
“Obviously, my path was a little different being able to play with guys like Bron, Kobe [Bryant], [Carmelo Anthony] and all those guys in the Olympics to kinda make it a smoother transition for me. You just got to go in and just play, find your way. You’re going to have ups and downs in the season. Obviously, he’s an exceptional talent. But don’t stress yourself out over the pressure from everyone else. You’ve got to know what your team wants from you.”
James didn’t play against the Spurs, the second night of a back-to-back, with the Lakers ruling him out because of a left calf contusion.
He played in both games of the team’s previous four sets of back-to-backs. James’ absence was just the second game he’s missed this season.
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt was back in the lineup after sitting out Tuesday night’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks because of a lower back spasm.
“Just doing the little things,” Coach Darvin Ham said about what Vanderbilt brings. “Picking up full court. Just his ability to switch on basically anybody one through five. The energy he has playing in the passing lanes, active hands, getting deflections, getting steals. Whether it’s taking charges, tracking down 50-50 balls. Getting us extra possessions offensively on the offensive glass. All of that. You can’t replace a player like that, you just have to try to pick up in those areas where he impacts the game.”
