Victor Wembanyama is generational, Scoot Henderson is incredible, and more from pre-NBA draft matchup

The primary matchup between Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson was alleged to occur after each have been already within the NBA because the No. 1 and No. 2 general picks within the 2023 draft. For the primary time since 2003, neither of the (projected) top-two picks have been taking part in faculty basketball: Wembanyama, born and raised simply exterior Paris, performs for Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 within the prime French professional league, whereas Henderson took his personal distinctive path by selecting the G League Ignite over a yr on campus.

As an alternative, a made-for-TV matchup was put collectively on the final second, showcasing Wembanyama on American soil for the primary time, and giving Henderson the possibility to show he may go toe-to-toe with some of the tantalizing prospects ever. The concept sounded nice on paper, however you’d be excused for pondering an exhibition like this with no actual stakes would finally be a disappointment.

Effectively, Sport 1 of a two-game set between Metropolitans 92 and the Ignite didn’t simply meet the hype, it exceeded it in each method potential. Each Wembanyama and Henderson put a present that’s going to be remembered for the remainder of their lives. Each younger stars primarily performed an ideal sport, and confirmed NBA followers and decision-makers what the way forward for the game appears to be like like. It was thrilling tv from begin to end.

Wembanyama is one thing basketball followers have by no means seen earlier than: 7’5 with an 8-foot wingspan, the shot-blocking talent of Rudy Gobert with the capturing talent of an elite wing scorer. Henderson, in the meantime, feels just like the evolution of each supercharged American level guard to hit basketball over the past 4 a long time: he has mind-blowing velocity, but he’s at all times in management, with sharpened abilities as each a scorer and playmaker.

Let’s get into precisely what we noticed.

Victor Wembanyama transcends hyperbole

After I printed an enormous breakdown of Wembanyama in June, I wrote that he was “the very best prospect to hit the draft since LeBron James.” It additionally included the sentence: “The final prospect this huge, this fluid, and this snug with the ball in his arms is perhaps a younger Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then often known as Lew Alcindor, when he entered UCLA within the mid-Sixties.”

No strain, child — some nerd on the web simply in contrast you to 2 of the top-3 gamers in NBA historical past at 18 years previous. By some means, the person we name Wemby lived as much as all of that hype and extra in his American debut.

There have been self-created layups:

There were smooth step-backs and one-dribble pull-up threes:

There have been relocation threes to the nook and four-point performs off motion:

There have been transition threes:

There have been blocked photographs all around the flooring, from mid-range pull-ups that he erased:

To rejecting Henderson on the rim:

To ridiculous rotations to erase photographs nobody else ought to get to:

Wembanyama completed with 37 factors on 11-of-20 capturing from the sector, 7-of-11 capturing from three, and 8-of-12 capturing from the foul line. He had 5 blocks, 4 rebounds, a steal, and in addition threw some nice passes regardless of not ending with an help. By the best way: there’s just one sport in NBA historical past with seven threes and 5 blocks. Wembanyama simply did it at 18 years previous going in opposition to different younger professionals.

These offensive strikes can be spectacular if Wembanyama was a 6’7 prospect at 18 years previous. Once more: he measured at 7’4 barefoot with an 8-foot wingspan. His defensive potential can be sufficient to get him drafted No. 1 general even when he couldn’t shoot or dribble.

Basketball has by no means seen something like this. Wembanyama will probably be among the finest rim protectors and lob catchers in league historical past if he stays wholesome. He additionally has the offensive talent set of a wing shooter who can create off the dribble for himself and his teammates.

What I preserve coming again to is that this: how does Victor Wembanyama exist? This participant, a 7’5 athletic freak who places a lid on the rim and effortlessly strokes threes, ought to solely be potential in a online game. Even then, it wouldn’t be truthful. By some means, Wembanyama is actual, and there’s no quantity of hyperbole that goes too far when making an attempt to seize his expertise.

We have now conceptualized aliens earlier than. Nobody may have ever dreamed of somebody like Wemby.

Scoot Henderson is the purpose guard NBA followers dream about

Sterling ‘Scoot’ Henderson may very well be the largest star in faculty basketball this season. As an alternative, the Atlanta native determined to primarily skip his senior yr of highschool and signal a two-year contract with the G League Ignite, the well-funded prospect incubator launched by the NBA two years in the past.

Henderson was so spectacular in his debut yr with the Ignite that almost all agreed he would have gone No. 1 general within the 2022 NBA Draft if he have been sufficiently old to enter. Now again for his second season, it’s clear the 6’2 level guard with a 6’8 wingspan is poised to take his sport to new ranges and set up himself as among the finest prospects of the final decade in his personal proper.

Henderson’s top-end velocity, ridiculous change-of-pace potential, and ending craft have been all on show as he cooked Wembanyama for probably the most spectacular bucket of the night time:

Henderson’s physique management is outstanding. Certainly one of his finest attributes is his ‘decleration’ — the power to hit the breaks at prime velocity and pretend defenders out of their sneakers. He bought Wembanyama once more right here:

Ripping a stepback three over a man with an 8-foot wingspan? Positive.

Henderson goes to be a monster in transition. He will get the steal right here and it’s off to the races for a spotlight reel dunk:

He confirmed off the mid-range sport, too:

Within the second half, Henderson actually began to unlock his passing. This was a lovely dime.

So was this one in transition:

So was this one:

He calmly stroked threes in rhythm, too.

Henderson completed with 28 factors on 11-of-21 capturing from the sector, 2-of-3 capturing from three, and 4-of-shooting from the free throw line. He had 9 assists, 5 rebounds, two steals, and solely two turnovers. He met the second in each method and performed an elite sport with the entire world watching him in opposition to Wembanyama.

Henderson goes to be a monster as a downhill attacker, blessed with absurd velocity, body-control, agility, and the facility to complete by means of contact. He’s going to get his group so many simple buckets in transition just by out-running everybody else, and he’s going to bend defenses within the halfcourt with that blazing first step. The massive query for Henderson is his capturing potential — he shot solely 11-for-51 from three with the Ignite final yr, good for 21 p.c — and it positive seemed improved in his first sport of his second season. Henderson’s potential to learn the ground has additionally come below the microscope a bit — he averaged 3.8 assists per sport final yr — however he seemed like an offensive maestro in opposition to Metropolitans.

It’s simple to think about gamers like Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and John Wall when watching Henderson go to work. His three-point shot is more likely to finally be higher than all of these guys simply due to the period he’s arising in. For now, maybe the very best factor you may say about Scoot is that he seems like a positive factor: guards this quick, this sturdy, this artful, and this aggressive merely don’t fail.

Scoot Henderson is a sure star, and on this draft that doesn’t even offer you a shot to go No. 1 general.

There isn’t any debate for No. 1: It’s Victor Wembanyama each time

It’s potential Scoot Henderson has a greater NBA profession than Victor Wembanyama when it’s all stated and executed. He’s definitely the safer choose as a result of his physique looks as if a greater guess to carry up long-term, and since we’ve seen gamers together with his traits succeed earlier than. He nonetheless shouldn’t be in consideration for the No. 1 choose when the fortunate lottery winner comes on the clock.

Wembanyama isn’t an ideal participant, in any respect. You’d like to see somebody his measurement play with extra power and get simpler buckets across the rim. He’s normally not that electrical as a shooter, with a 31 p.c profession mark from three. His defensive method wants a number of enchancment, and his really feel for the sport, particularly on the defensive finish, is a little bit of a query mark. But when Wembanyama places all of it collectively, and if he stays wholesome, it’s not hyperbole to say he may very well be among the finest basketball gamers ever. His upside is as excessive as any prospect to ever enter any skilled sport over the past 100 years.

The factor that makes the 2023 NBA Draft so particular is that there are two No. 1 general picks. Add in Amen Thompson, additionally taking part in exterior of faculty basketball for Additional time Elite, and there is perhaps a case to develop that quantity to a few. Both method, Wembanyama seems like he’d on the very least get critical consideration for No. 1 general in each draft in league historical past.

For one good night time, Wembanyama and Henderson shared the ground earlier than it occurs for actual within the NBA. If it is a signal of what’s to come back, we will’t wait to see what occurs subsequent.