Victor Wembanyama sits down with Omar Raja to break down his best NBA highlights, including his matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Check out my TikTok which has a ton of behind the scenes at different sports events:
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Check out my TikTok which has a ton of behind the scenes at different sports events:
https://www.tiktok.com/@omar
Also check out my Instagram for a sneak peak of all my sports content:
www.instagram.com/Omar
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NewsTranscript
00:00Some people might have died with that shoulder, honestly.
00:02When did you realize you were able to do certain things that other players might not be able to do?
00:07Even if I was playing against Jordan or whoever, I would just be happy to be on the court.
00:15Wemby, appreciate you joining the show, man.
00:17Thank you so much for your time, man.
00:18Your first highlight that I felt like went truly super viral was the put-back dunk.
00:23Walk me through what you were thinking,
00:25because it's very rare for someone to get a put-back dunk on their own shot.
00:29I mean, yeah, it's very rare, indeed.
00:33You know, while it was happening, that was an important game.
00:36We were playing pretty well in the end of possession, had to take a tough shot.
00:40And, I mean, I don't know, it's just, you know,
00:44in those moments you just have to fight for everything, every position.
00:48So I was like, I mean, nothing stopped me from doing so, so I just did it.
00:52When did you realize you were able to do certain things that other players might not be able to do?
00:58When did I realize? I mean, very, very early on, you know, it was...
01:03I think it was one of the things that separated me very early on.
01:08The next play is your game against Giannis.
01:11It is an amazing back and forth between you two.
01:13What was your mindset before the game? Any nerves?
01:16Against Giannis?
01:17Yeah.
01:18No, not really. I mean, I think that was on my birthday, you know.
01:22So, no, I wasn't nervous. I mean, I've never been really...
01:25Nervous is bad, or is it like...
01:28No, I would say nervous, like, it's debatable.
01:30Some people say that it's not great to be nervous.
01:32I personally get nervous before big things,
01:33but I feel like that helps me prepare and get more locked in for something.
01:37So, I don't know if it's a bad thing.
01:39I mean, I get excited, you know, and I mean, I just...
01:42Every day, I mean, before every game, I just say thank you, you know,
01:47for earning my life while playing this game, which is my passion.
01:51So I'm just very happy and I'm just so thankful before every game.
01:55This is... So it's all fun.
01:58Even if I was playing against Jordan or whoever, I would just be happy.
02:11See, Giannis has a nice dunk,
02:12and then you immediately respond with a putback,
02:15throwing it off the backboard.
02:16What made you do that in that scenario?
02:18Actually, in the first Giannis dunk,
02:22that was my mistake.
02:23The play before, they ran a pass to Portis,
02:26and I tried to anticipate, but Giannis just went to the basket and dunked it.
02:32So I had to make up for my mistake
02:34and try to take advantage of the split, of the stream.
02:40As a handler, Connaughton was early,
02:42so I had to pick up the dribble and just improvise.
02:48And then what about on the fast break,
02:51where it's you and you see Damian Lillard in front of you,
02:55and you go behind the back and kind of dunk it as well?
03:04That's a move I work on, you know.
03:07I've been taught when I was 11, 11, or 12.
03:12And ever since I've been using it,
03:14it's pretty natural to me now to recognize that situation.
03:18Yeah, at what point did you know you were going to dunk it?
03:21Last second.
03:22Last second?
03:22I didn't, like, I saw Brute Lopez last second.
03:25I didn't think he was running back, actually.
03:26I saw him, but I thought he wouldn't be running back.
03:29Yeah, you're also, I wanted to compliment your off-the-ball movement.
03:33You have this play against Giannis, it's about to come up.
03:37It's, most people I feel like move the ball off this quick,
03:40like, are usually guards.
03:42When did you realize you have this speed
03:44where you can move off the ball just as good as anybody?
03:47I mean, it's not always been the case.
03:49So I'm glad that now my body and my muscles,
03:52I'm a little bit more mature than when I was 13, 14, 15.
03:57So now my body actually allows me to move it this way,
04:00and it's great because it's, I mean,
04:03it's the major difficulty as a tall person.
04:07Yeah, and the last clip for us is
04:09you're going to block Giannis at the end here.
04:11Screen, the drive, oh, it's knocked away by Giannis!
04:16What are you trying to keep in mind
04:18when trying to block someone as good as him?
04:21I mean, the first thing is, you know, back up
04:24because it's, you can't guard Giannis,
04:28you can't get his three-point shot and his, you know, his shoulder here.
04:32So you have to make a choice,
04:33and the choice is prioritize him taking a three.
04:36Yep.
04:37Then it's just got to make those hours in the weight room count.
04:41Some people might have died with that shoulder, honestly.
04:44Is it the hardest matchup you've had?
04:48One of them, one of them, but definitely up there.
04:51Can't say right now, but definitely up there.
04:53Thank you so much for the time, man.
04:54I really appreciate it.
04:55Congrats on everything.