Draymond Green knows what his younger teammates will have to deal with in the coming years

The San Antonio Spurs are currently wrapping up their campaign. With an early exit from playoff contention, the team is finishing up its schedule as the regular season nears a close. Their most recent game on Sunday was a 117-113 defeat courtesy of the Golden State Warriors. The Spurs may have added an extra count to the loss column, but rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama left quite an impression on the Dubs. Draymond Green, in particular, was impressed by what he saw from the 7-foot-4 phenom. Speaking to the media after the game, Golden State’s fiery forward labeled Wembanyama as a “special talent.”

“He is a very, very, very, very special talent,” Green said, per Raul Dominguez Jr.  “I was just telling Trayce (Jackson-Davis) and those guys, I’m happy I had an opportunity to play against him now because they’ll have to deal with him a lot later and I won’t be in the league no more.”

Considering the amount of great players that Green has shared the court with, statements such as that show how even NBA vets themselves are in awe of the Spurs’ young franchise player. And it comes as no surprise that Green gave Wemby his flowers, looking at the Frenchman’s performance on Sunday.

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs fall to the Warriors

Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Against the Warriors, Wembanyama was all over the stat sheet, putting up 32 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks. The rookie also sank nine out of his 10 free-throw attempts.

The Spurs would falter to Golden State after leading by as much as 13 points in the opening quarter. Entering halftime with a six-point cushion, San Antonio suddenly found themselves trailing in the third quarter after Green himself started a 14-0 run that would turn the tide of the game. The Warriors outscored the Spurs to enter the final period with an eight-point advantage.

San Antonio would go on a late-game rally to get within two points in the final minute, but Klay Thompson sank a dagger three with 39 seconds left to put the Warriors up by five. Wemby answered with two charity stripe makes but a free throw by Green with less than four seconds left gave Golden State a two-possession advantage to seal the game.

What made the loss more frustrating for the Spurs was how a performance rooted in team effort ended in vain. Six San Antonio players finished in double figures. Behind Wembanyama, Cedi Osman shot four threes and tallied 18 points while backup center Zach Collins added 13 points.

For Golden State, Stephen Curry sank seven three-pointers en route to a 33-point night.

Wembanyama nears the conclusion of his rookie season

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

With seven games remaining, Victor Wembanyama is expected by many to win the Rookie of the Year award. The 20-year-old is averaging 21.2 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Straight off the bat, he’s lived up to his number-one draft selection, raking up double-doubles on almost a per-game basis. Throughout the season, Wemby has put his name in both the Spurs’ and the NBA’s record books. And along the way, he’s earned the praise of many, Draymond Green included.

San Antonio is far from a playoff contender at present, but the team knows that their future has already arrived in the form of a 7’4 big man with the skillset of a fluid guard. As good as what Wemby’s already shown, he’s only scratched the surface of his potential. Right now, there’s no telling what his ceiling could be, but it’s definitely very high. And surely, San Antonio Spurs fans can’t wait to see him develop in the coming years.