“Slowly but surely“, was the message from Kylian Mbappe to Victor Wembanyama in January. It was in response to his compatriot’s performance against the Milwaukee Bucks. But, Wembanayama’s rise over the past couple of weeks has been anything but slow. His performance yesterday against the Oklahoma City Thunder is one for the history books as the Spurs star scored 28 points and made 13 rebounds! Plenty have taken notice, including the PSG ace.
Victor Wembanyama’s recent performances have seen him emerge as the frontrunner to the NBA Rookie of the Year prize. Kylian Mbappe approves of the same and shared his thoughts via social media. Through his Instagram account, the Frenchman showcased Wembanyama’s post as a story and captioned, “ROTY? 10000%.” He also added an alien-like emoji to highlight the unique level of the NBA star’s performance.
Kylian Mbappe didn’t stop there. He even went to the 20-year-old’s Instagram and commented ‘ROTY’ with a green tick. It seems the PSG star believes Wembanyama to be deserving of the award, but he still faces some tough competition.
The likes of Chet Holmgren, and Brandon Miller have also been impressive this season and are seen as contenders for the prize. However, performances like yesterday could swing the momentum in Wembanyama’s favor. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he became the first NBA player in history to score 25+ points, 10 + rebounds, 5+ assists, 5+ blocks, and 5+ threes in a single match!
Well, Kylian Mbappe is undoubtedly a Wembanyama admirer. But, is the feeling mutual? Does the 7-foot-4 star follow soccer in the first place? Let’s find out below.
Wembanyama reveals Kylian Mbappe is someone who ‘inspires’ him
Back in November, Wembanyama revealed his favorite player and team in soccer. Speaking of Kylian Mbappe, he said, “I realize that we have a lot in common. He’s the player who inspires me most when it comes to soccer. He’s someone I identify with a lot. Nevertheless, I want to be original and go my own way.” Moreover, the NBA sensation further added that he has soccer talks with teammates, particularly Jeremy Sochan.
USA Today via Reuters
The Spurs star explained about his bond with Sochan, “We talk about soccer from time to time. My team is PSG, of course (…) We’ve known each other for a long time and we get on well, but it’s a shame he’s an Arsenal fan.” Unfortunately for PSG and Wembanyama, Kylian Mbappe will likely exit PSG this summer.