Instant Grades: Scoot Henderson prevails in first matchup vs. Victor Wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama shakes off rust to cook G League Ignite in second half.

Final stat-line: 37 points (11-of-20, 7-of-11 from 3, 8-of-12 on FTs), five blocks, five fouls, four rebounds, one steal, one turnover.

Although the first few minutes of the game put NBA fans into a state of shock, Wembanyama took a while to start showing his full arsenal. The projected No. 1 pick truly came alive with his team down nearly 20 points at the start of the second half. The one-of-a-kind athlete standing at 7-foot-4 was dominant on both sides of the floor. He displayed complete control of the paint on defense and otherworldly shooting from deep.

With only nine of his 37 points at the half, Wembanyama knocked down seven triples in the game. To be quite frank, this was insane to watch. Never before has a player of his stature shown such fluidity, confidence and versatility as a 3-point shooter — and that’s not even his main draw as a player.

Defensively, Wembanyama was dominant. His mobility and versatility translated, knocking away several perimeter shots and altering a handful more in the process. He transformed the way that the Ignite operated every time he touched the court, forcing the team to second-think its decisions every time they attacked the basket.

For almost any other player in the world, this is an A+ performance. However, since Wembanyama is truly a generational prospect, there are a few things that held him back in this game. The first was that he appeared a bit timid during a stretch in the late first quarter and early second. It was his only lull of the game, but that’s when the Ignite got out to a big lead.

The second knock is that his team ultimately fell short. We know that Victor is a talented passer, and if he put that on display just a little bit more, his team might’ve come out with the win. And lastly, his foul trouble was an issue during crucial moments. Some of these calls were weak but others were clearly his fault, and that’s certainly going to be something to keep track of when he enters the NBA next season.

These are ultimately nitpicks since he’s (maybe) the best prospect I’ve ever seen in my life.

Victor Wembanyama earns an A- for his 1st outing vs. Scoot Henderson.