The numbers are historic and the achievements continue to resonate across the NBA. Already putting up stats uncommon for rookies in their first month, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyma, in just his 20th NBA game, reached the 20/20 mark.
The 19-year-old's 21 points and 20 rebounds in Friday's 121-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls makes him the youngest player in league history to score at least 20 and grab 20 boards on the same night.
Add his four blocks and four assists, and the man who's been labeled the best prospect since LeBron James, is the first player to reach that stat line in a game this season and the first rookie to hit 20/20 and four blocks since Shaquille O'Neal delivered that kind of an effort in 1993.
“Doesn't really have value…”
Despite a performance that also outpaces a pair of Spurs legendary big men, the first overall pick in this past summer's draft isn't celebrating the feat just yet. Friday night's setback to the Bulls marks a franchise-tying 16th straight loss.
“To me it doesn't really have value if it's a loss, but it's definitely an achievement and I hope I can look back on it and think of it as a good performance someday,” Wembanyama answered when asked about his night by ClutchPoints.
“It's very impressive. It's his, I think, first time starting at the five and grabbing 20 rebounds. I think he had seven in, like, the first five minutes. We knew it would be a big night for him on the boards,” Spurs guard Tre Jones said, “He continues to impress and wow like he has from day or even before day one. We're going to keep growing together. He's growing every single day.”
As referenced here on ClutchPoints, Wemby did in 20 games, what it took fellow number one overall picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan 44 and 68 games to do respectively. Like the French phenom, both Hall of Famers entered their rookie seasons in San Antonio with great anticipation, though neither at the same level of fervor.
Did position change put Wemby in position for record night?
Tre Jones mentioned that the loss to Chicago marked Wembanyama's first game starting at center. The lineup change moved Zach Collins, who had started every game at the five for the Spurs, to the bench.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich made it clear he'll take another look at a starting unit that included Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson and Malaki Branham.
“Definitely helps us spread the floor a little bit. I think we did pretty well for some time. We're still experimenting but we're going to see if that works,” Wemby said, feeling the adjustment in real time.
ClutchPoints asked the generational talent if he welcomes his coach's declaration that we could see this new starting five for the foreseeable future.
“Of course, experimenting in different areas of the game is always something important and interesting to me. As I said, every game is different but we're going to see and try until we find a new recipe,” Wembanyama responded.
Dwight Howard, who was a traditional center, is the only other teenager in NBA history to record a 20/20 game. The next few weeks may help set the tone for where Spurs' Wemby sees the bulk of his minutes going forward.
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