Unreal! Victor Wembanyama, touted as the greatest prospect since LeBron James, created a huge statement in Arizona as he and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Kevin Durant-led Phoenix Suns for the second time around.
The hype is real! Victor Wembanyama makes history in his fifth NBA game
It’s only his fifth outing, but Wemby is already out there making records. The French star rookie not only led the Spurs past the Suns in a grueling back-to-back, but he also surprised everyone by putting up a 38-point double-double. He tallied 38 points, and 10 rebounds while shooting an efficient 50% from the three-point line. Wembanyama was also a huge defensive presence with 2 blocks and 1 steal.
On the other hand, Devin Booker also stuffed the stat sheet with his 31 points, 13 assists, and 9 rebounds while Kevin Durant had 28 points and 6 rebounds. It was a pretty one-sided game, with the Spurs coming out with the win, 132-121. Throughout the whole match, Phoenix never took the lead.
Victor Wembanyama tonight vs. the Suns 😳
➤ 38 PTS (career-high)
➤ 10 REB
➤ 2 BLK
➤ 15/26 FG
➤ 3-6 3-PT FG pic.twitter.com/3bcedY8EJt— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 3, 2023
Did Victor Wembanyama just prove Luka Doncic’s hot take in 2022?
Back in 2022, JJ Reddick asked Luka Doncic to compare the NBA to the EuroLeague, to which the Serbian superstar made some intriguing comments. Doncic said that, although players are way better in the NBA, the rules in Europe make it harder for a player – even with his caliber – to score. In context, the EuroLeague is quite different from the NBA given that there is no defensive 3-second violation, which means the rim protectors can stay on the paint for as long as they want. Also, the court is smaller and there is less time in a European game.
In 2023, Wembanyama proved Doncic’s point to be true
Did you know that Victor Wembanyama‘s career-high scoring output in France is only 33 points? He played for a total of 86 games from 2019 to 2023 in Europe. But, in just 5 games in the NBA, the French stud already managed to surpass his career-high against two of the best scorers in the league (i.e. Durant and Booker). This just goes to show that he’s definitely a superstar. The 19-year-old basketball sensation still has a lot to prove, but he’s already showing signs of becoming the next big thing.
Victor Wembanyama's career highs:
In France: 33 points
Tonight: 38 points
He has ARRIVED 1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/fVJPos1thN
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 3, 2023
Meanwhile, Wembanyama is also becoming the clear frontrunner for the 2024 Rookie of the Year
So far, the Spurs rookie already has an All-Star-esque average of 20.6 points, 1.6 assists, 8.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game. OKC’s Chet Holmgren may give Wembanyama a run for his money as the former Gonzaga Bulldogs standout is also making waves in Oklahoma.
Rookie leaders so far:
PPG — Victor Wembanyama
RPG — Ausar Thompson
APG — Scoot Henderson
SPG — Victor Wembanyama
BPG — Chet Holmgren
FGM — Victor Wembanyama
3PM — Chet Holmgren
FTM — Victor WembanyamaChet is the only rookie in the top 5 for every category. pic.twitter.com/enmGY5UfGC
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 2, 2023
