Jokic: Wembanyama is 'going to change the game'

Victor Wembanyama left a strong impression on Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in their first meeting Sunday.

Jokic heaped praise on Wembanyama following the Nuggets' 132-120 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, saying he expects the rookie phenom to have a big impact on the NBA.

"I think he's 19 years old, he's not getting tired or getting scared," Jokic said, according to Paul Garcia of Project Spurs. "He's playing hard and he wants to be good. Like I said, I think he's playing hard, and he doesn't take it for granted. He's making mistakes, which is normal. I think the media around him doesn't help, but he's going to get used to it because the guy is 19 years old. He's going to change the game, 100%. He's already on that path, so for all of the guys, just enjoy and watch the show and let the guy change the game."

Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, had 22 points, 11 rebounds, and six steals in the loss. Jokic finished the game with a season-high 39 points along with 11 rebounds and nine assists.

For the season, Wembanyama is averaging 19.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.