Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments, and concerns in this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Mike Sykes
Happy Friday, folks! Welcome back to Layup Lines. Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you’ve had a fantastic week.
Let’s talk about Victor Wembanyama today because we don’t talk about Victor Wembanyama enough.
With the NBA’s pillars in LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant coming to the end of their careers soon, the whole “face of the league” thing has become one of the most popular subjects folks like to discuss.
Everyone wants to know who the next torch bearer for the NBA is going to be? Giannis Antetokounmpo thinks it might be multiple players. Others believe a charismatic player like Anthony Edwards can do it. There are certainly plenty of good answers out there.
But for me? It’s Big Vic, man. This dude just has the juice.
Part of being the face of the NBA is not just having a great game — plenty of players have that. The other part of it is just being a great quote. You’ve got to want that spotlight. You have to know the right things to say when. And the things you say have to be interesting.
We know Wemby has the game to do it — he’s not even averaging 30 minutes a night and is putting up impressive numbers. But that’s not what lets me know that he’s ready to be the guy in the NBA.
It’s the moments like this that get me.
🎙️Victor Wembanyama sur le titre du défenseur de l’année : « C’est sûr que ça m’intéresse, c’est une récompense que je veux gagner dans le futur ».
« Rudy (Gobert) a de très grosses chances de le gagner cette année. Ce serait mérité mais qu’il le gagne maintenant car après ce ne… pic.twitter.com/TdB99oPEf9
— Théo Quintard (@TheoQuintard) March 14, 2024
What you’re hearing in that video is Vic responding in French to a question about competing with Rudy Gobert for Defensive Player of the Year this year.
Here’s a translation for you: “I know that Rudy [Gobert] has a very good chance of winning it this year and it would be deserved. But let him win it now, because afterward it’s no longer his turn.”
That’s some unreal confidence from this kid. He’s talking about a three-time (likely soon to be four) Defensive Player of the Year like this, who is also one of his NBA mentors, by the way.
Wembanyama doesn’t care. If you’re not with him, you’re against him. And he’s coming for you.
This is the sort of confidence people love. It’s what makes people root for you. The Spurs only have 14 wins, but you wouldn’t know it from the way Wembanyama talks about himself and his team. With that quote, he’s literally selling you, me, and everyone else on his future as one of the best defensive players this league has ever seen.
Might that come back to bite him? Sure. It’s possible. But Wembanyama not being afraid of that spotlight — not being afraid of failure — is exactly why Wemby will be the player we’re all glued to moving forward.
Well, that and his ability to make grown men look like 5-year-olds.
Joe Mazzulla is the best
I don’t know about y’all, man. But Joe Mazzulla has always given me that “I should be out there with those guys” vibes while coaching from the sideline.
I mean, think about it. He’s one of the youngest coaches in the NBA. He played basketball at a pretty high level himself, too. I guarantee you that Joe Mazzulla thinks he can get out there and contribute. He’s a rotation player in his mind.
That’s why I wasn’t shocked when he tried to block Royce O’Neale’s shot after a timeout. Charles Curtis spotted it for us here.
This man is a nut. Here he is attempting the block in real-time.
Jaylen Brown: Badass
Also, Joe Mazzulla tried to block the shot as timeout was called pic.twitter.com/5boJSIeVbM
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) March 15, 2024
Man. Come on. I’d love to play for that guy.
READ MORE: Here’s more from Charles Curtis on this hilarious move from Mazzulla.
The Curry Brand adds another star
Steph Curry’s namesake brand with Under Armour has been on a tear over the last few months.
De’Aaron Fox was the first athlete other than Curry himself to be added to the brand back in October. Now, the brand is extending into the college ranks with an NIL deal for South Carolina’s star freshman point guard Milaysia Fulwiley.
The deal was announced with this slick video here:
Yo this was amazing!! They did their thing!! https://t.co/QHJ40cfs1c pic.twitter.com/7XiHJZRDVU
— SSN Jay-O (@Jay_3shifty) March 15, 2024
That’s a big move. Fulwiley is the second athlete to join the Curry Brand, which is a huge deal. The connection is there — South Carolina is an Under Armour school. She’ll be able to wear the best Curry and the brand have to offer on the court, unlike other athletes with NIL deals that conflict with their school’s sponsors.
I’m excited to see what the Curry Brand cooks up for Fulwiley over these next few years. She’s a special one. Good times are ahead.
Shootaround
— Bryan Kalbrosky put together a mist-read breakdown on why Bronny James declaring for the draft is so complicated
— This has got to be the funniest steal I’ve ever seen in my life. Has to be.
— Here’s Robert Zeglinski on Jamal Murray selflessly benching himself for Reggie Jackson in the 4th quarter.
— Chris Paul giving a ref a tech is every hooper’s dream. Here’s Bryan again with more.
That’s all, folks! Thanks so much for reading Layup Lines today. We’ll chat again next week! Until then! Peace. Be easy.
-Sykes
