Victor Wembanyama 2023 NBA odds, props: Spurs No. 1 overall pick now expected to debut July 7 in Las Vegas Summer League
Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama will not make his debut early next week.
There's a bit of disappointing news out of the NBA for those of us very eager to see San Antonio Spurs rookie No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama make his Summer League debut. The smaller California Classic Summer League, which features six teams, starts July 3 in Sacramento, and there was some talk that Wembanyama could debut that day when the Spurs face the Hornets, but he will not play that game or the team's July 5 Sacramento finale vs. the Lakers. Instead, Wembanyama's debut should come on July 7 in Las Vegas against Charlotte.
After last Thursday's draft, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had told reporters the plan was for Wembanyama to play in Summer League, but how much he would participate was still to be determined. Today, the team said no to a Sacramento debut. The 7-foot-4 Frenchman just finished a full pro season and playoffs in the French League, so the Spurs aren't going to overdo it, and Wembanyama probably won't play in every Las Vegas Sumer League game.
"He never stopped playing," Popovich said after the Draft. "He will participate in the summer league. To what degree, we are not exactly sure yet."
Wembanyama earlier this week said that he would not be participating in this summer's FIBA World Cup so he could focus on preparing for his rookie season. He is the -225 favorite at DraftKings to win NBA Rookie of the Year and will begin practicing with the Spurs' summer squad later this week. To win NBA Defensive Player of the Year -- his shot-blocking and rebounding should be elite from Day 1 -- Wembanyama is +3500.
There is also a Summer League in Salt Lake City from July 3-6 but it features only four teams: Utah, Memphis, Oklahoma City and Philadelphia.
Summer League in Las Vegas, which features all 30 teams, runs from July 7-17 and if Wembanyama plays in that first game next Friday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN – I assure you the league will politely push the Spurs to make it happen to benefit its TV partner and build buzz – it should come against the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft, Charlotte's Brandon Miller. He's +950 for Rookie of the Year.
DK has added a few yes-only Wembanyama regular-season props:
- To score at least 40 points in any game: +300
- To score at least 45 points in any game: +1200
- To average at least 20 points and 2 blocks: +185
- To average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds: +240
- To average at least 10 rebounds and Spurs win West: +15000
- To average at least 1.8 blocks and Spurs win West: +17000
- To win ROY and Spurs to win NBA title: +30000
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