Scoot Henderson is not backing down ahead of the San Antonio Spurs’ first-round playoff series with the Portland Trail Blazers. Speaking before Sunday’s Game 1 in San Antonio, the Blazers guard said he still believes he should have gone No. 1 in the 2023 NBA Draft over Victor Wembanyama. The comments add another layer to a matchup already carrying major weight: the Spurs are the No. 2 seed, the Blazers are the No. 7 seed, and the series opens with both sides framed by the careers of two top picks from the same draft class.
Scoot Henderson keeps his confidence high
Henderson, who was drafted third by Portland, made his case plainly. “Hell, yeah, I do, ” Henderson said when asked whether he still thinks he should have been the first pick. He pointed to the confidence and competitive edge he believes he brings to any team, saying he plays with a winning mentality and is focused on getting on the floor, staying there, and helping his team get stops.
The remark comes at a tense moment for Scoot Henderson, whose first three seasons have been marked by injuries and inconsistency. In 30 games this season, Henderson averaged 14. 2 points, 2. 7 rebounds and 3. 7 assists. He also missed the first four months of the campaign while recovering from a torn left hamstring.
Victor Wembanyama arrives as the established force
Wembanyama’s rise has taken a different path. Drafted first overall by the Spurs, he has become the centerpiece of a San Antonio team that finished with its first 60-win season since 2017. His production this season — 25. 0 points, 11. 5 rebounds, 3. 1 assists, 1. 0 steals and 3. 1 blocks per game — placed him firmly in the MVP conversation.
The Spurs also enter the series with momentum and clear expectations. Wembanyama is set to win his first Defensive Player of the Year award and is expected to finish at least in the Top 3 in MVP voting. San Antonio is also preparing for its first playoff run since 2019, while the Spurs won the season series against Portland 2-1.
The stakes are bigger than one quote
The matchup now carries both competitive and symbolic meaning. Henderson’s statement has sharpened attention on the contrast between the two players, one already driving championship-level hopes and the other still trying to stabilize his early career. The first game in San Antonio will give both teams an immediate chance to answer the question behind the quote.
For Scoot Henderson, the series is an opportunity to back up his belief against the player selected ahead of him. For Wembanyama and the Spurs, it is a chance to reinforce a season that has already changed the conversation around the franchise. However the opening game unfolds, Scoot Henderson has made sure the first-round matchup begins with a pointed message.
