Miami Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson gave San Antonio Spurs rookie – and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft – Victor Wembanyama a “welcome to the NBA” moment in Miami’s win on Sunday night.
Robinson drove baseline on Wembanyama, and he faked as if he was going to head back towards the 3-point line.
The fake caused Wembanyama to commit and lean toward Robinson, who then sped past the big man for a layup. It was a great play, and it led to quite the response from Heat fans and others around the NBA on social media.
Robinson, who is more known for his shooting ability than his ball-handling skills, certainly showed Wembanyama that playing defense at the NBA level isn’t easy.
One analyst referenced a segment from the Knuckleheads podcast with Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles where they ask players about the first time they really got beat by someone in the NBA.
The analyst predicted Wembanyama’s conversation should he ever join the podcast.
Robinson shocked others around the NBA with his clever move, especially since it’s not something he does on a nightly basis.
A Heat fan suggested that Wembanyama will be left out of the debate for the greatest player of all time because he was schooled by Robinson.
Mike Ryan of the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz took it a step further, comparing Wembanyama’s stats early in his career to the likes of Robinson and Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier.
While Ryan may have been a little harsh on the rookie, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Robinson made quite the move against Wembanyama.
Robinson had a huge game on Sunday with the Heat missing guard Tyler Herro, as he scored 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field (4-of-7 from beyond the arc) while adding five rebounds and four assists.
Miami outscored the Spurs by seven points in the fourth quarter to secure a five-point win.
While Wembanyama may end up as a better player than Robinson when both players are done with their careers, the Heat sharpshooter will always have this play to look back on.