Skip to main content
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs walks on the court as we look at his impact on jersey sales and for sportsbook through the early days of his career.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs walks on the court in a 2023 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images via AFP.

After a Summer League debut that didn't necessarily live up to the hype, Victor Wembanyama  will get a shot at redemption during Sunday's showdown between the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers. Read on for our Spurs-Trail Blazers prediction based on the top NBA odds from our best sports betting apps.

Life in the current era of the NBA isn't easy. Young players are expected to deliver right away, and that's especially true for No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama. The San Antonio Spurs rookie has been labeled the best NBA prospect since LeBron James.

Wembanyama flashed some of his potential during the young star's Summer League debut on Friday, but he ultimately finished with just nine points on 2-of-13 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, and five blocks. He remains the betting favorite in the NBA Rookie of the Year odds, but basketball fans will want to see more from the 7-foot-5 big man very soon.

Sunday's Summer League battle should be a good opportunity for Wembanyama to dazzle. He's set to face the Portland Trail Blazers, who drafted Scoot Henderson with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft as the future of their franchise.

But with Henderson set to miss this game, all eyes will once again be on Wembanyama.

Here is our best Spurs-Tail Blazers prediction (odds via our best NBA betting sites; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Hornets vs. Spurs prediction

Spurs ML (-130 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐

Not intended for use in MA
Affiliate Disclosure:
Sportsbook Review may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook

A couple of things were lost in the Wembanyama discourse after Friday's performance didn't quite live up to expectations.

For one, Wembanyama showcased his otherworldly defensive ability with five blocks. He'll be a force on that end of the floor right away at the NBA level, which is why I'm feeling good about taking him as a long shot to win the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award already.

The second thing left unnoticed was that the Spurs managed to record a 76-68 win over the Hornets as 6.5-point favorites. San Antonio now boasts a lot of exciting young players, which is probably why Gregg Popovich agreed to a new five-year deal over the weekend.

Up To $1,500 Back In Bonus Bets

Bonus bets will expire in 7 days. One new customer offer only. Additional terms and conditions apply.

Sportsbook Review may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or casino betting site. 21+. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly

I'm expecting a better all-around performance from Wembanyama with the debut behind him. Even if there are some offensive limitations from him again, four Spurs starters scored 12-plus points last time out.

Let's take advantage of the reduced moneyline price tag against a Henderson-less Blazers squad.

Hornets vs. Spurs best odds

BetMGM  (-145)

DraftKingsFanDuelBetMGMCaesars
Spurs ML (-150)Spurs ML (-164)Spurs ML (-145)Spurs ML (-150)

Our best sports betting sites have adjusted the Spurs' moneyline price since we were able take advantage of a -130 offering at BetMGM. That same shop still offers the best price with a -145 value, which would be the most juice we'd be willing to pay for this Summer League matchup.

Hornets vs. Spurs game info

  • Date: Sunday, July 9, 8 p.m. ET
  • TV: ESPN2
  • Location: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV

Spurs-Blazers pick made 07/09/2023 at 10:55 a.m. ET.

Here are our best sports betting apps:

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

Related pages