Giannis Antetokounmpo Praises Victor Wembanyama As NBA’s ‘Next Face’ After Bucks Win

In a highly anticipated matchup between Giannis Antetokounmpo and rising star Victor Wembanyama on Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 121-105 to take a much-needed step forward in the Eastern Conference. Despite delivering a subpar performance overall, Wembanyama made a handful of plays to earn praise from his fellow big man.

“He’s an incredible talent,” Antetokounmpo said after his second time facing Wembanyama. “He’s probably one of the most talented players I’ve ever watched on TV, ever played against. This is his second year in the league, he’s way better than his first year, he’s gonna keep on improving and he has a very, very bright future. He’s just gotta keep working on his game, keep working on himself, keep playing the game with joy and he’s gonna be the face of the league for a lot of years.”

While Antentokounmpo finished the game with 25 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists, Wembanyama struggled to capitalize on a hot start and finished with 10 points. He did earn a double-double by earning 10 rebounds, but San Antonio needed much more from him to topple Milwaukee, a superior rival.

Wembanyama couldn’t do quite enough to take down Antetokounmpo in their second meeting, but some plays turn heads more than the stat sheet might suggest. An offensive flurry by Wembanyama early in the first quarter, including a one-legged three-pointer and a contested layup on Antetokounmpo soon after, firmly established the Frenchman as a potent threat. Milwaukee managed to contain him over time, but his status in the league is still quickly growing.

In the 2024-25 season, Wembanyama is scoring 25.1 points per game with 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 blocks, all improvements from his rookie season. The Spurs have vastly improved this year as he has taken another step forward. With an 18-19 record, they are on pace to earn more wins this year than they have in any season since 2019.

With LeBron James and Steph Curry playing at a high level deep into their careers, talk of the next ‘face’ of the NBA has remained a somewhat nebulous exercise in the past decade. Antetokounmpo has been one of many names thrown out there as the next big thing, along with the likes of Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards are more recent additions to the party. 

All of these players are in the midst of phenomenal careers, and those who haven’t won championships yet seem poised to do so at some point. Some are also highly entertaining off the floor, adding to their marketability. But none of them have the unique arsenal that Wembanyama possesses. 

His overwhelming size and sound fundamentals make him a nightmarish matchup on defense. On offense, he is as potent from the perimeter as he is under the rim. Still a raw prospect in many respects, he is already competing and getting the better of some of the best players in the NBA.

Antetokounmpo isn’t the only one that sees it. Wembanyama’s early displays have earned universal acclaim from the very best in the NBA. The Spurs are a notoriously professional organization and figure to build around him as he continues to develop. San Antonio should become a more dangerous contender over time, at which point Wembanyama’s individual superstardom could become part of something greater. His time is still coming.

Article by Patrick Moquin