Victor Wembanyama's 2 Different Pieces of Birthday Praise Speak Volumes

In a league full of very tall men, Victor Wembanyama is still looming large. The French phenom started making headlines before he even crossed the Atlantic, and now that he's reached North American shores, there's still plenty of hype. And, while there have been some growing pains along the way, Thursday night's outing showed exactly why Wemby has been so firmly entrenched in the spotlight.

On the big man's 20th birthday, he and his San Antonio Spurs locked horns with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. The rookie came up short, losing 125-121, but Wembanyama held his own. He went toe-to-toe with the Greek Freak, producing a performance that contained plenty of highlight reel moments without being all flash and no substance.

After the game, both Antetokounmpo and Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich offered their own unique takes on Wembanyama. While the style of the quotes was quite different, the similar substance spoke volumes.

Wembanyama's Impressive Birthday Outing

This season, the Spurs have been on the receiving end of plenty of losses. Thursday night's defeat, however, had a different tenor. While the game still counts the same in the standings, Wembanyama showed what he's truly capable of.

Going against Antetokounmpo, a player who's earned two NBA MVP titles thanks to his unique blend of size, strength and overall athleticism, Wemby held his own. On one defensive series, he stood up to Greek Freak's drive, absorbing a shoulder barge below the basket to block the shot. At the other end of the floor, we saw both finesse—good manipulation of space and a sharp backdoor cut earned the rookie an easy basket—and a blend of athleticism and improv, as Wembanyama danced past a perimeter defender before throwing an alley-oop to himself.

In 26 minutes of action, Wembanyama scored 27 points, pulled down nine rebounds and blocked five shots. That stat line was outshone by the Greek Freak (44 points, 14 boards and seven assists), but it still showed what Wemby can do against an elite opponent. If he could produce that performance on Thursday night, it's easy to be optimistic about his future.

Different Versions of Similar Praise for Wemby

As you might expect, Wembanyama's performance was a key talking point after the final whistle. And while Antetokounmpo and Popovich weighed in, they did so in their own unique styles.

In regard to the former, he was asked for his impression of the French phenom after the final whistle. "He's an unbelievable talent," Antetokounmpo explained. "Can score at will anytime he wants. Plays the right way, plays to win. It was great playing against him."

Popovich was a bit less verbose, although he was asked about Wemby on two separate occasions. During an on-court interview at the start of the fourth quarter, the head coach was asked if he'd ever seen anyone do what the big man did during the third frame. "The answer is no," Popovich said. "I don't know what else to tell you."

After the game, the bench boss was also asked if he liked something about Wembanyama's performance. Popovich cut off the question, saying, "I just loved it. Loved it. I loved everything about all of them. There's nothing I didn't love about any of them."

Antetokounmpo and Popovich came at the answers in their own unique ways. The former wasn't the most full-throated praise we've ever heard—it lacked the unbridled joy of discussing Oreos, for example—but the Greek Freak does bring a certain authenticity to the table.

Coach Pop, on the other hand, was a bit dryer. While he's not at Marshawn Lynch levels of media relations, the veteran isn't the biggest fan of answering nonsensical and/or obvious questions. But even through those metaphorically gritted teeth, he couldn't avoid praising Wembanyama.

Whether you're a Wemby fan, a Wemby skeptic or somewhere in-between, seeing his showing against one of the league's top talents was exciting. It bodes well for him, the Spurs and, more importantly, the league. There's room for all sorts of preferences within basketball fandom—some will prefer defensive struggles, while others are all-in on offensive firepower—but top-end talent is what makes the league special. Seeing something incredible, whether it's Michael Jordan soaring through the air or Stephen Curry draining a jumper from the logo, is a key part of the appeal.

Wembanyama, independent of his potential as a franchise savior, all-world player, future GOAT or whatever title you'd like to bestow on him, brings that awe-inspiring ability to the floor.

Popovich can see it. Antetokounmpo can see it. And against the Bucks, we all could see it, whether you were in the arena or watching on TV. It might have been the big man's birthday, but he gave us the gift.