The harsh reality of NBA debut

Yesterday morning, all the “rookies” selected within the “top 10” of the previous draft made their NBA debuts.

That’s especially true for players who are expected to be the future of their respective teams, especially players like Victor Wembaneyama and, to a lesser extent, Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson.

Indeed, most fans believe that all of them start their careers in the world’s best basketball league with individual performances, especially in the case of the Frenchman, as was the case with another Spurs legend like David Robinson. (23 points, 17 rebounds). 1989/90).

Interestingly, Wembaneyama virtually copied Tim Duncan’s numbers in his debut (15 points, 10 rebounds in the 1997/98 season). In San Antonio, they will already sign a similar race.

So be very patient with these NBA “stars of the future.” Because yesterday was just the first step in a hypothetical career that was more or less successful.

And in cases like this, it’s good to remember that even Michael Jordan himself did not debut with numbers comparable to all that he later achieved throughout his award-winning career. .Many would have already signed them: 16 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 steals.

Victor Wembaneyama (San Antonio Spurs)

15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

All eyes were on the French phenomenon’s debut, and many probably expected Wenbanyama to sign 25+10 on his first day in the NBA. No one doubts his amazing qualities and that he will become a decisive player (for the next 10 years, an eternal “All-Star”), but in his first game in the NBA, he was a rookie paid a harsh price and was charged with a foul too soon. He had limited track time (15).

Brandon Miller (Charlotte Hornets)

13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Miller, who started off the bench, didn’t have a bad game in his NBA debut, but he fell a little short of the level expected of a No. 2 draft pick. Still, his 13 points were the third-highest of all rookies, a sign of his tremendous potential.

Scoot Henderson (Portland Trail Blazers)

11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

The point guard was one of the few “top 10” picks from the last draft to play as a starter in his NBA debut (and played the most minutes (36 minutes)), and is likely in the “Lillard understudy” role. It was probably too heavy. He remained scoreless in the first half (0/6 shooting). After the break, we got to see what is expected of him and a closer version of what every Blazers fan dreams of.

Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets)

8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists

The eldest of the Thompson twins didn’t make his dream NBA debut. Not only did he clearly lose to Orlando (86-116), but he also didn’t do as well as one would expect from a No. 4 draft pick (he played just 21 minutes). court). As the season progresses, Amen is expected to have an increased role with the Rockets, who are also rebuilding.

Author Thompson (Detroit Pistons)

4 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks

Osar started as a starter against the Miami Heat, but things didn’t really improve. Although he was fairly limited offensively (four points on 1-of-7 shooting), he showed some signs of his potential defensively. He totaled five blocks, making him the overall NBA leader in this statistic. section.

Anthony Black (Orlando Magic)

5 points, 2 blocks, 1 assist

Among the top 10 “rookies” selected in the last draft, Black was one of the players who spent the least amount of time on the court (5 minutes), but he made the most of that time. In fact, he scores a point every minute, which very few players can say. Still, the overall presence of the No. 6 draft pick is surprising.

Bilal Khouribai (Washington Wizards)

3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

The Wizards’ young French point guard, 19, showed in his debut that he’s a player with a lot of potential and can do a little bit of everything on the court…but he still has a long way to go. . Be decisive and play a leading role in an NBA team. Maybe the Wizards were in no rush and could have drafted him with the seventh pick with no problem.

Jayless Walker (Indiana Pacers)

0 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal

The Indiana Pacers power forward had a very cautious NBA debut. He played just six minutes and was the only “Top 10” rookie without a point. Of course, he grabbed four rebounds and had time to steal the ball. He still has a long way to go.

Taylor Hendricks (Utah Jazz)

1 point 1 rebound

The Jazz power forward was the “top 10” rookie who saw the least amount of court time on his debut day (2 minutes), but he will always be able to say he was able to score in his debut. He scored his first point and first rebound, debuting his stats in the NBA. For those who are not satisfied…

Kayson Wallace (Oklahoma City Thunder)

13 points, 2 rebounds, TC rate 100%

Many may think that a “top 10” has to demand something more, but the truth is that good ol’ Cason played a perfect game in his NBA debut: he scored 100 points in the TC. % contract, 2/2 in T2, and 3/. He scored 3 points in T3 and totaled 13 points in just 19 minutes of play. Will he be able to maintain these good numbers if his role with the Thunder increases?

Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder)

11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Holmgren was drafted No. 2 in the 2022 draft, but suffered a serious injury during the preseason last year and was unable to make his NBA debut. What he did this morning…pay the same “price” as his teammates in 2023. The Thunder center’s shooting percentage wasn’t bad, but his role was smaller than most expected.