Devin Booker Says Victor Wembanyama Is A ‘Force’ And ‘Nowhere Near Soft’

After the Phoenix Suns defeated the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday (3/23), Devin Booker spoke to NBA reporters about Victor Wembanyama. 

Booker said Wembanyama is a “force” and “nowhere near soft.”

“Just a force,” Booker said about Wembanyama. “I think my favorite part about him is his mindset. Nowhere near soft. He’s a competitor to the highest. You can tell after games that losing bothers him and it’s not something that he’s gotten used to. I’ve watched all his mannerisms and watch how he carries himself and he seems like a seasoned vet.”

The Spurs lost to the Suns by 25 points. Wembanyama finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes while shooting 5-of-7 from the field, 1-of-2 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. 

Booker torched the Spurs for 32 points in 30 minutes while shooting 14-of-24 overall, 3-of-7 from 3 and 1-of-1 from the foul line. The shooting guard also had seven rebounds and nine assists. 

The Suns are 42-29 on the season. They are in sixth place in the Western Conference standings. 

Meanwhile, the Spurs are 15-56. They have the worst record in the West. 

Wembanyama is expected to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award this season. He’s averaging 20.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.4 blocks while shooting 46.6% from the field, 32.1% from 3 and 79.9% from the free-throw line. 

Wembanyama leads the NBA in blocks and blocks per game. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving recently said that Wembanyama “has all the tools to be named Defensive Player of the Year.”

“You got to be aware of him late challenging and he has the timing of a guard,” Irving said about Wembanyama. “I don’t know if it’s just he’s played against guards, but I’m just saying, I think he’s got a lot of reps of playing against good guards and guarding them one-on-one. Today, I thought I had a reverse layup and he ended up blocking it on the left side because I thought he was going to be on the right side.

“But he has this long wingspan, so he covers up a lot of space. Me as a competitor and challenger, I like going in there and challenging him because if you can finish on him, I feel like you can finish on anybody in the world. He’s going to block some and he’s going to make you change it, but it’s only going to make you better as a basketball player and that’s what I want and I think everybody should relish in that.

“But also be smart in challenging him because he does bate you a lot. He does do things like a Defensive Player of the Year would. He’s showing signs that’s he’s exceeded all the Defensive Player of the Year stats of the previous guys that have won it. You guys see it. I don’t know who they’re going to pick, but I mean he has all the tools to be named Defensive Player of the Year. He’s for sure a candidate. I don’t know how he wouldn’t be.”