Getty Image / Ronald Cortes
We’re running out of superlatives for San Antonio Spurs rookie center Victor Wembanyama. He’s having one of the best rookie seasons in decades and is somehow fulfilling all the hype about him.
It seems as if the Frenchman makes history every time he steps on the court. Friday night’s dramatic 130-126 win over the New York Knicks was no different.
Victor Wembanyama was as dominant as ever. He had 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 7 assists to fend off a 61-point night from Knicks star Jalen Brunson.
40-20-7 at just 20-years-old is ridiculous. It’s an incredibly rare feat. In fact, it hasn’t been done by a rookie in over 30 seasons!
Victor Wembanyama is the first rookie with 40 points and 20 rebounds in a game since Shaq in 1993. Here's the full list before tonight, per Stathead: pic.twitter.com/Me0BCQv9pc
— Zach Kram (@zachkram) March 30, 2024
All of those guys are in the Hall of Fame, and a few are truly among the all-time great players in the game’s history.
Yes, it’s early. But, that’s the trajectory that Victor Wembanyama is on. He’s averaging around 21/10/4 on the year with a league-best 3.5 blocks per contest. That’s in only 29 minutes per game, a significantly lower total than most other stars are playing every night. For comparison, Nikola Jokić is playing 35 minutes a game, with Joel Embiid right around that number as well.
He already might be the best defensive player in the league and could end up as the runner-up for NBA Defensive Player of the Year to Rudy Gobert. Despite only having one blocked shot in the Knicks game, his presence makes such a huge impact and frequently makes guys pull up for shots without getting all the way to the rim.
His offensive efficiency seems to be improving day by day, too. His efficiency numbers have shot up after struggling in that area early in the season. Victor Wembanyama had a true shooting percentage of 73.7% on Friday night. The sample size is small, but to be doing that at 20 years old is pretty crazy.
There’s no ceiling to his game, and he could be the best player in the league pretty soon. For now, keep enjoying these last few games of one of the best rookie years we’ve ever seen.
Hopefully, the Spurs surround him with some more talent this offseason. If they do, he could truly be in the MVP conversation next year.