A total of 11 games featuring 22 teams were played on Wednesday night, but every basketball fan's attention was drawn to one game in particular. Victor Wembanyama made his long awaited NBA debut with the San Antonio Spurs and he did so facing off against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Two high-level international players looking to lead their team to a victory in their first game of the 2023-24 season, this game started off with a playoff-like atmosphere to it.
For the first time in a very long time, Frost Bank Center, formerly the AT&T Center, was sold out and absolutely rocking. It's already apparent that there is a new, positive energy surrounding this young Spurs team, one that has struggled to find relevance in the Western Conference the last few seasons.
Throwing down alley-oops to himself and windmill jams in pre-game warmups, Wembanyama and the Spurs faithful were ready to go, beginning a new era in one of the NBA's most illustrious franchise's history. Wemby made his imprint felt right as the game began, winning the opening tip-off against Mavs forward Maxi Kleber. Following a made layup by Jeremy Sochan, the arena erupted when the rookie phenom challenged Kyrie Irving at the rim.
Even though he was not guarding Irving, all it took was one step for Wembanyama to go from being in the paint to blocking the Mavs All-Star's shot at the free-throw line. Not many players in this league will be able to shoot over a 7'4″ guy lunging at them for a block and this was the case here with Irving and Wemby getting his fingertips on the ball to alter the shot.
Getting a couple of rebounds and then missing his first running three-pointer at the top of the arc, the French phenom finally got on the board with his first NBA basket, setting his feet and nailing a long, rainbow-like three from almost the same spot he missed his first shot. Confidence is everything for young players in this league and it was very clear to see that Wemby was not afraid to do anything on the court.
The Wembanyama show was a sold-out event that definitely supplied Spurs fans with a lot to look forward to. At the same time, there were some apparent struggles for their new star, which led to some mixed feelings about Wemby's debut.
Victor Wembanyama on offense
At 7'4″ with an 8'0″ wingspan, there is no player in the league that can truly contest Wembanyama's shot. He can pull up from three-point range, he can break down his opponent and drive to the rim, and Wemby can post up his opponents in order to hit a jumper in the mid-range area or spin toward the basket.
All of these skills were shown in Wembanyama's debut with the Spurs on Wednesday night. While his six points on 2-of-4 shooting entering the fourth quarter was not that impressive, the first overall pick showed up when it mattered most. As a result of dealing with foul problems, Wemby played a few seconds in the final quarter of play before checking out of the game. He did not return until the 7:12 mark in the quarter.
Immediately, the Spurs got Wembanyama involved, as Devin Vassell threw a lob his way that nobody on Dallas' roster even thought about contesting, as none of them wanted to be on a new poster. A couple of possessions later after grabbing a rebound from a miss by Irving, Wembanyama dribbled between his legs before pulling up from 25 feet and burying a three from the right wing over fellow rookie big man Dereck Lively II. The Mavericks' lead was cut to just two points with six minutes left.
These two teams continued to go back and forth until Wembanyama gave the Spurs the lead with just a few minutes remaining. On the fast break following a miss by Dallas, Wembanyama ran the floor, got position on Kleber, caught a lob on the low block, and threw down a dunk while a smack on his arm could be heard throughout the lower bowl of the arena.
While he missed this free throw, the Spurs rookie continued to look for scoring opportunities on the offensive end of the floor, playing aggressively even though he knew he was in foul trouble.
Offensively, San Antonio has to be pleased with what they saw from Wembanyama in his debut. Not straying away from contact and looking to play to his strengths as a shooter, Wemby did what stars in this league do: Take over late in games to put their team in a position to win.
“One of the toughest things for a player is you get into foul trouble and you never get in a rhythm and you're in and out of the game and that sort of thing,” Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said of his rookie after the game, via Tom Orsborn of San Antonio Express-News. “So I thought his maturity showed even at a young age.”
The Spurs ultimately lost 126-119 in the final minute of the game, but Wembanyama finished the night with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including three made threes. Possessing a smooth shooting stroke and virtually impossible to stop when he gets the ball around the rim, Wemby was arguably the Spurs' most effective offensive weapon in their first game of the new season.
Wemby's Offensive Grade: B+
Victor Wembanyama on defense
Everyone in San Antonio showed up to the first Spurs game of the season to see Victor Wembanyama dominate. Instead, they were left shaking their heads in disbelief since Dereck Lively II was the rookie who stole the show. Lively, a lengthy big man who showed flashes of his two-way potential at Duke last year, took advantage of the opportunity that presented itself and he finished the game with 16 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench.
It's worth noting that Lively, and the entire Mavs roster for that matter, benefitted greatly from Wembanyama only playing 23 minutes. This was not due to a lack of effort or intensity or anything for that matter. As previously mentioned, Wemby was dealing with foul trouble and his two fouls in the first quarter really set the tone for how his night went defensively.
The Spurs rookie was never really able to settle down and help control the flow of the game since his back was always up against the wall with the referees having a short whistle. C'mon, let the guy play, that's who we all want to see!
In all seriousness, the Mavs did a good job of attacking the paint and forcing the referees to make a decision regarding fouls. Wembanyama's length altered plenty of shots, but it also resulted in some soft-contact fouls that led to him spending about half the night on the bench. This is obviously a frustrating situation for a young player to be in, but this will be part of the learning curve for Wemby over the course of the season.
“You know, it might be frustrating, but always keeping my head up is good for my teammates,” Wembanyama said after the game regarding his foul trouble. “We learn every day… I was just focused on being the best I can be when I stepped back on the court.”
In total, Wembanyama tallied two steals and a block in his NBA debut. The majority of his fouls came from being in the wrong place at the wrong time, so you can't really blame him for playing aggressive. Positioning-wise, the Spurs and Wemby will need to do a better job at being in a position to rotate over for weak-side blocks and steals. With the length he possesses, there is no reason why Wembanyama can't be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Wemby's Defensive Grade: B-
Wembanyama's overall grade: B
There are many going around trying to claim that this was an awful debut for Wembanyama. Sure, it was not the most dazzling NBA debut we have seen from a top overall pick and there were plenty of moments in this game that left a sour taste in the mouths of Spurs fans. However, games like the one Wemby had against Dallas are going to occur over the course of his rookie season.
It is better to get them out of the way now and learn from them, especially since he is such a high-potential prospect. What many tend to forget is the fact that Wembanyama is only 19 years old. He's still learning about the game of basketball and more importantly, he's learning how to utilize his size and body in a new league against the other top-tier athletes in the entire world.
To display the confidence and determination to bring his team back into the game late in the fourth quarter knowing that he was in foul trouble says a lot about Wembanyama's winner mentality. The spotlight is always going to be on him, which is why the calmness and poise Wembanyama played with in the final quarter of play speaks volumes.
“Of course I want to give the best show to the fans and especially here in San Antonio and France. But it's still my job, I still got responsibilities towards my coach and my teammates,” Wembanyama when asked about the spotlight being put on him. “So really, it's not what matters.”
It may not have been the greatest debut ever, but the Spurs should be very pleased with what they saw from their rookie big man. Wemby will be back in action with San Antonio on Friday night against the Houston Rockets.
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