Author: Monojit Mandal
Victor Wembanyama, a rising French basketball phenomenon seen as a potential game-changer in the NBA, made an impressive pre-season debut, scoring 20 points for the San Antonio Spurs in their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
Wembanyama, the top pick in the 2023 Paris NBA draft, left spectators and analysts in awe with his excellent performance, even though the Spurs failed to win in a tight contest that ended 122-121 in favor of the Thunder.
Wembanyama had tremendous skill on the floor, converting 8 of 13 field goal attempts, as well as grabbing five rebounds, two steals and a vital block. Surprisingly, his time on court was limited to 19 minutes and 22 seconds, which contributed to his outstanding performance.
The 6’10” French wonder displayed a rare combination of size and talent throughout the game, which had NBA fans excited from the moment he arrived. One of the highlights came in the second quarter, when he completed an impressive spin move followed by a perfect dunk that confused the Thunder’s defense. Wembanyama’s defensive talents were on show once again, with a spectacular block in the first quarter against Jalen Williams.
In response to the young prodigy’s debut, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said: “I thought he did well”. He doesn’t have a great game plan or anything. He just went out and played basketball, something he likes and is good at.”
Popovich also stated that the team is still figuring out how to effectively utilize Wembanyama’s specific skill set and that the rookie’s desire to adapt and learn is a good indication for the squad.
Wembanyama remained humble after his debut, saying: “I’m a rookie, so all I have to do is play hard, give 100%… I was just trying to keep my energy levels up all the time. But I think I can do better.
Wembanyama’s excellent performance was repeated by his Thunder opponent, Chet Holmgren, who missed his entire apprentice season due to a foot illness. Holmgren led the scoring with 21 points and nine rebounds.
Fans should expect more entertaining performances from Wembanyama and Holmgren as pre-season progresses. The San Antonio Spurs will play the Miami Heat in their next preseason game on Friday, with the regular season opener against the Dallas Mavericks planned for October 25 in front of their home crowd.