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Victor Wembanyama has been one of the names to watch out for this season. After being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the rookie has lived up to the expectations of everyone who had kept an eye on him well before the draft. The power forward showcased his talent early on in the season, and while the team is enduring a woeful 5-28 run in the West, Wembanyama has proved to be a consistent performer for the side. Up next, the Spurs and Wembanyama will take on the formidable Milwaukee Bucks. The second-placed side in the East had the better of San Antonio last month.
After an injury scare in Dec., Wembanyama is off the injury report, as per ESPN's updated injury list. He is slated to lace up for the clash on Thursday.
While the big man is set to play, the Spurs will be sweating over Malaki Branham's (ankle) availability. Zach Collins will be missing two to four weeks of action, while Charles Bassey is ruled out for the remainder of the season after an ACL tear.
What happened to Victor Wembanyama?
In what comes as good news for the Spurs, the French phenom has been healthy for a major part of the season, missing just four of the team's 33 games. He suffered an ankle injury on Dec. 23 and the team's think tank ruled him out of back-to-back contests as a precautionary measure.
The rookie landed on the foot of a Mavericks ball boy during warmup on Dec. 23, two games after he was ruled out with right ankle soreness. The Spurs did not play him against the Mavericks.
The Spurs have three back-to-back games coming up as they play the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls on Jan. 12 and 13. They will then face Charlotte and the Washington Wizards on Jan. 19 and 20, and finally, two clashes at home against the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 26 and 27.
Victor Wembanyama has suited up since and will be keen to make a mark against the Bucks on Thursday. While the team is still going through a tough learning curve, their big man has been one of the players to watch out for this season.
Victor Wembanyama's stats this season
The Spurs have played the Bucks once already this season, with the latter propping up a 132-119 win. Victor Wembanyama missed the contest against Giannis Antetokounmpo with a sore right ankle. Thursday will be his first time going up against the 'Greek Freak' as the two lock horns.
While the Spurs have endured a dismal run this season, Wembanyama has been propping up impressive numbers. In the 29 games so far, he averages 18.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. His last five games have seen him average 18.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
