Observing Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson in the 1st G-League Ignite-Metropolitans 92 Game
October 5th, 2022
By Alan Lu
(Photo: John Locher/Associated Press, via The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Yesterday, we were able to watch Victor Wembanyama and Metropolitans 92 square off against Scoot Henderson and the G-League Ignite in a high-profile exhibition game in Las Vegas. It was an excellent game that lived up to the billing and then some, and it surpassed expectations, as both Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson were dominant in this contest. The G-League Ignite were able to get off to a big lead in the first half. The Metropolitans 92 rallied back to get a brief lead, but the G-League Ignite were able to over take them due to strong shooting from their veteran guards John Jenkins and Aubrey Dawkins, and Scoot performed superbly throughout that helped the G-League Ignite get the win. Here are my thoughts on how Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson played, as well as how various other prospects fared in this game.
(Source: Twitter/@NBA)
Metropolitans 92’s 7-4 center, Victor Wembanyama had a tremendous showing, as he scored 37 points, made 7 threes, and blocked 5 shots in his team’s tough loss to the G-League Ignite. He shot the ball really well, excelled as a shot blocker and defender, and he also showed some playmaking skills, nice footwork, and deep range on his shot in this game.
Wembanyama did an excellent job of knocking down jumpers to provide floor spacing for his team on offense. He especially thrived as a three-point shooter in this game. He showed a knack for making spot-up threes effortlessly, as he has great size to shoot over the top of defenders, and has a very good shooting stroke that enabled him to consistently knock down those shots. He also showed that he can make movement threes, and he also dribbled off a screen to make a pull-up three early on. He also used his strong shooting skills to leverage it into drawing a shooting foul on Miller midway through this match, and he was able to draw free throws on a step-back three. Plus, Wembanyama also used a jab step and was able to deftly maneuver to make a smooth, step-back mid-range jumper.
He also showed a solid ability to score off the dribble. Wembanyama excelled as a shooter off the dribble, and he also drove to his left and utilized a swift spin move to score smoothly off the glass. He also excelled as a finisher around the basket. Wembanyama was able to slip underneath the rim to get open down low, and he caught a lob to score on an alley-oop dunk. He showed a knack for drawing fouls on aggressive moves to the hoop. He has good footwork and shooting touch to score down low, but sometimes he would take tough, off-balanced shots in traffic that would lead to misses.
Also, Wembanyama showcased satisfactory playmaking skills in this game. He generally did a good job of throwing interior passes, and he showed that he can swiftly find open teammates on the move to set up scoring chances for them. On one play though, he threw a quick interior pass in traffic that ended up getting deflected and intercepted.
Wembanyama didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, but he would tend to bring the ball up after grabbing defensive boards, and he also managed to tip a ball to a teammate to help his team get another. Wembanyama also played very good defense in this game. He has great length, athleticism, and timing, and did an outstanding job of blocking shots to help his team protect the paint. He also was able to swat a couple of mid-range shots in the process. He was able to jump on a loose ball that his teammate deflected to help his team get a steal, and he also would apply very good ball pressure when defending opponents out on the perimeter. He also excelled at contesting outside shots to force misses. On the downside, sometimes he would occasionally gamble a bit too much, which would lead him to pick up fouls periodically.
In general, Victor Wembanyama put forth a magnificent performance in this game, and he is a very tall, skilled center that has a great blend of shooting, defense, athleticism, and all-around skills. He and Scoot Henderson were tremendous in this match, and Wembanyama definitely made a strong case to be the top pick for the 2023 draft.
(Source: Twitter/@NBA)
Scoot Henderson also played really well, and his strong all-around play helped lead the G-League Ignite to get a close victory over the Metropolitans 92. He especially thrived at attacking the hoop to score and pass the basketball, and he also showed a solid jump shot, as he too made a very strong case to be the top pick for the 2023 draft.
Henderson showed a great ability to score off the dribble. He is an aggressive, very athletic guard that would often score on strong drives to the hoop, and he was very willing to score on the toughest of defenders, and did so in this game. He would drive the ball right at Wembanyama, and Henderson managed to score on a couple of nifty, reverse layups in traffic. He has tremendous athleticism as well as great body control, balance, and finishing ability. He also used a pump fake to score on a fadeaway jumper. He also showed that he can draw fouls upon defenders to get to the free throw line.
He also thrived at scoring on hustle plays. Henderson was able to get a steal and drove in to score on a thunderous, breakaway dunk. He also scored on a quick, backdoor cut in traffic. Also, he has shown an improved outside shot. Henderson did a very good job of making threes, as he was able to make a smooth, step-back three on Wembanyama, and he also made a spot-up three off the catch. Henderson was quite streaky with his mid-range shot, as he took numerous pull-up jumpers, but he showed a solid shooting stroke, as he was able to make his fair share of them.
Also, Henderson showed off strong playmaking skills in this game. He did a very good job of passing off the dribble, and he was able to make an assortment of passes to rack up assists. He also thrived at throwing interior passes to find open teammates on the move, and he would often throw accurate bounce passes to set up scores for his teammates at the rim. Henderson played unselfishly and showed solid court vision, and he also did a great job of taking care of the basketball with the ball in his hands.
Also, Henderson did a good job of rebounding the basketball, and he would chase down balls to get plenty of defensive boards for his team. He also would push the pace off of rebounds and steals to create fast break opportunities and early offense for his team. He also played adequate defense in this game. Henderson has active hands, and he would run in to poke balls away to force turnovers and get steals. He also applied good ball pressure when defending out on the perimeter, and was able to get his man to miss a three-point shot. On the downside, he didn’t always move his feet well when defending out on the perimeter, which would lead him to get beat off the dribble and allow scores, and sometimes he would give up a bit too much space to shooters.
In summary, Scoot Henderson had a terrific showing to lead his team to get the win over the Metropolitans 92. He is an extremely athletic point guard that showcased strong all-around skills in this game, and he will most likely be a top 2 pick in the 2023 draft, and Scoot has a game that looks to be similar to Russell Westbrook when he was in his MVP form. Scoot Henderson is a really talented playmaker, and like Wembanyama, he could develop into a superstar in the NBA.
Other Notes:
While the main event was between Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson jockeying for the top spot of the 2023 draft, and with both putting forth very strong, incredible performances throughout this game, there were other prospects that played in this game. Amongst them, Mojave King and Efe Abogidi quietly played well, and others were able to make some solid plays at times in this match.
Efe Abogidi also had a solid showing to help lead his team to a win in this game. He is a strong, athletic big man that thrived as a rim runner and inside scorer on offense, and he also is a physical player that enabled him to grab a handful of rebounds, as well as to be an active presence defensively.
Abogidi did a great job of scoring in the paint. He would often score on hustle plays, as he thrived at scoring off of rolls, in transition, and in the post. He would score on strong dunks and layups at the rim, and he also showed that he can absorb the contact to get fouled to often get to the free throw line. On top of that, Abogidi was able to make a smooth, mid-range jumper.
Also, Abogidi was able to set a solid on-ball screen to help get a teammate an open jump shot. On one play though, he dropped a pass on a roll to the rim, which led to a team turnover. Plus, Abogidi did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. He was quite active at crashing the offensive glass to help his team get offensive rebounds.
Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. He is a strong, physical player that was able to hold his ground when defending in the post, which enabled him to force a miss. He also would contest jumpers to get a couple of stops, and Abogidi also jumped an entry pass to get a steal. However, he would often sag too far off of shooters and give up too much space, which would lead him to give up baskets. Other times, he would overcompensate by trying to close out hard, but he would end up fouling jump shooters, and sometimes would compound things by also giving up the baskets. He also would sometimes be late on his rotation, which would lead him to be out of position when defending in transition.
Overall, Efe Abogidi is a strong, athletic center that played well, and he especially showed a penchant for scoring in the paint to help his team on offense. He is a strong, athletic rim runner that showed he can score and finish plays around the basket, and he also was able to make a mid-range shot in this game. He will need to continue to work on his outside shot and defense. If so, he could move up draft boards and contend to be a possible first round pick in the upcoming draft.
G-League Ignite’s swingman, Mojave King played very well in this game. He excelled at making plays on both ends of the floor, and he thrived as a scorer and defender when he was on the floor.
King did a good job of scoring and drawing free throws after getting the ball off of curl cuts. He would get the ball on the move, and he would then dribble in to score or get fouled on layups. He also showed a decent jump shot. King was able to make an open corner three. On the other hand, he also missed on a pull-up three after dribbling off of a screen, and he also had a shot blocked on a layup attempt in transition.
He also passed and handled the ball well, and King would make timely passes to get the ball to his teammates. While he didn’t get many rebounds, King was able to leap up to get a defensive board once. He also played solid defense. King is a rangy defender that can make plays on the ball to get stops for his team. He ran in to intercept a pass to get a steal, and he also blocked a shot off of a drive out of bounds. King also stayed in front of his man and actively contested a deep three to force a miss. On the downside, he got beat off the dribble and over-rotated on one play, which led his teammate to rotate to commit a foul as a result.
Overall, King quietly played well off the bench, as he was efficient as a scorer in limited touches, and he also defended well. Mojave King showed that he can score on the move and knock down the occasional spot-up jumper, and he also defended very well. He’ll need to keep playing well, but this game is a good start for him, and he could end up projecting to go in the late first to the second round range in the 2023 draft.
Armel Traore put forth an uneven performance in his team’s loss in this game. He was able to make hustle plays on both ends of the floor, but he also was turnover prone, and he also didn’t get many touches on offense.
Traore was able to catch a lob off of a backdoor cut, which enabled him to score on an alley-oop dunk. On the downside, he missed on a three-point shot another time. He also had trouble handling the ball under pressure, which led him to commit a couple of ball-handling turnovers.
Also, Traore was active on the boards, and he would look to crash the glass to help his team get defensive boards. He also played satisfactory defense. Traore ran in to intercept an entry pass to get a steal. He also defended an opposing ball handler aggressively and forced his man to slow up. On one play though, he was a bit late to contest a corner three, which led him to give up the basket.
Overall, Armel Traore is a fairly athletic combo forward that was able to make some hustle plays to help his team off the bench. He didn’t seem to stand out though, but he is an energetic player that could be a second round, draft and stash candidate whenever he decides to enter the NBA draft.
Sidy Cissoko had his ups and downs in his team’s win in this game. He is an athletic, energetic swingman that defended well, but while he showed off versatile scoring skills, he struggled to make shots consistently on offense.
Cissoko played solid defense when he was on the floor. He was able to rotate to block a shot hard off of a drive to a teammate. He also intercepted a pass to get a steal. He is an aggressive defender that can make numerous plays on the ball to get stops, and he also contested a shot inside to force a miss and shot clock violation. He also successfully drew a charge to prevent an opponent from scoring on the break.
He also rebounded the ball fairly well, and he was especially active at crashing the glass to get an offensive boards. He also showed off adequate playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that will make the extra pass, and he also set an on-ball screen to help his teammate score on an open jump shot.
However, he was inconsistent as a scorer in this game. Cissoko did an adequate job of making threes, and he ran off of a pin-down and was able to make a smooth, spot-up three. He was quite streaky from downtown though, and he also threw up an air-ball on a step-back three that led to a shot-clock violation. He also had trouble scoring in traffic or on the move. While Cissoko was able to score on a high-flying dunk when handling the ball on the break, he missed on a dunk off of a drive another time, and he also had a couple of his shots blocked around the basket.
Overall, Sidy Cissoko didn’t have his best game, but he rebounded and defended well, and played energetically when he was on the floor. He will need to improve his shooting and scoring skills, but he is an athletic swingman that could project to be a second round pick even if his shot doesn’t come around this year.
Leonard Miller struggled in his team’s win over Metropolitans 92. He was able to make some plays early on, but he had trouble finding his shooting touch from beyond the arc, which made him hesitant to take outside shots, and it seemed to seep into his mindset, as it negatively impacted his play in the second half.
For the positives, Miller was at his best as a scorer off the dribble. He is a tall, agile ball-handler that can create his own shot, and he was able to score on a couple of smooth, aggressive drives to the hoop. He showed a satisfactory ability to break down opponents off the dribble to score, but opponents were able to load up on him later on when his outside shot wasn’t going in.
On the downside, Miller wasn’t able to connect on any of his three-point shots. As a result, he ended up forcing and rushing a lot of shots inside that resulted in misses. He missed on a lot of put back opportunities, and he also missed on a running layup on a drive in transition. He also missed on a tough, off-balanced fadeaway jumper from the post, and Miller really had trouble scoring or making plays in the second half of this game.
Also, Miller showcased satisfactory playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that would make the extra pass, and he would throw timely passes to find the open man. Plus, he did a very good job of rebounding the basketball. Defensively though, he struggled in this game. On one good play, he used his length to help force a passing turnover. He also successfully challenged a three-point shot to force a miss. However, he tended to be late on his rotations, and he also would tend to be too aggressive in closing out on shots, which would lead him to be foul prone. On another play, he rotated, but got beat off the dribble, which led him to give up the basket.
Overall, Leonard Miller is a talented prospect that has a good set of physical tools, but he struggled with his outside shot, which negatively impacted his ability to shoot or score in the second half of this game. He also tended to pick up quick fouls defensively, and he didn’t play very well overall. He’s still talented enough to be considered for the first round of the 2023 draft, and there are still many games left to be played. He’ll have to play better for sure, and he will need to shoot considerably better moving forward.
(Source: Twitter/@NBA)
In conclusion, those were my thoughts on how this game went. Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson played really well, and it was a fun, exciting match that went back and forth. Both Wembanyama and Henderson are strong contenders for the top spot of the 2023 draft. Right now, I’d say Wembanyama has a slight edge over Henderson, but Henderson certainly has also made a compelling case on his own. As for the other prospects that played in this game, Efe Abogidi and Mojave King played well, and they could be players that could move up draft boards in the future. It was a terrific basketball game, and I had fun watching it. Thanks for reading.
