Scoot Henderson Says Victor Wembanyama Has a Target on His Back 'Every Day' amid Hype

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson knows all of the hype surrounding fellow NBA rookie Victor Wembanyama will bring an added layer of scrutiny in the season ahead.

"Every day, every game. Definitely," Henderson said when asked by The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor if the San Antonio Spurs big man will have a target on his back. "It's a lot of pressure being that guy and being just that high of a pick and being that kind of a talent. Not a lot of players have that height and that skill set. So, you're going to have a target on your back."

Such is life when you're heralded as the best prospect since at least LeBron James in 2003.

Experienced vets will savor the opportunity to humble Wembanyama a bit on the court. Younger players, meanwhile, will see him as a way to make for themselves.

The NBA Summer League already provided an example of the latter. Chicago Hornets center Kai Jones elevated over the Frenchman to hammer home an alley-oop.

But this won't be a totally unfamiliar position for the 2023 No. 1 overall pick since he has effectively been living the life of an NBA player for the last few years.

Wembanyama has been training meticulously in preparation for the moment, and playing professionally in the LNB Pro A pitted him against opponents who were older and weren't afraid to push him around inside.

He told reporters after competing in the Summer League that the American game is actually "less physical."

"I get fouled a lot, but not as much," he said. "Here players are just flying, out there it's more on the ground, pushing on the ground, big box outs. Here it's great athletes, the best in the world, way more talent. But I like this better, though."

Leading up to the draft, the 19-year-old also said he was "immune to all this stuff" as it related to the outside hype. He explained how he holds himself to a high enough standard already.

In the social media age, highlights like Jones' dunk are bound to get amplified because a section of fans will be rooting for Wembanyama to flop and others will simply enjoy the occasional bit of schadenfreude.

For some players, operating under the microscope to that degree can be overwhelming. In the case of Wembanyama, he doesn't sound too bothered.