Erik Spoelstra isn't exactly prone to hyperbole. The revered Miami Heat head coach has also had a front seat to some of the league's most singular performances over the past decade-plus, coaching the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler in their playing primes. After watching what Victor Wembanyama did to his team in preseason action on Friday night, though, Spoelstra couldn't help but express slack-jawed awe at the French wunderkind's one-of-a-kind talent.

“You don't really see that every night. That's for sure. I was just as curious, and I had the anticipation factor just to see what he actually looks like on the floor,” Spoelstra said of Wembanyama, per Paul Garcia of Project Spurs. “That's different, for sure. It feels like I was doing that to my five-year-old son the other day. The way he dunked…he's not even jumping. All the hype and everything, it seems like it's real.”

Wembanyama finished with 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and three blocks on 10-of-15 shooting in his team's 120-104 win. Yet even those gaudy numbers don't come anywhere near doing the eye-popping nature of his performance justice.

The 7'4 rookie is much more than just a dunker. Among the many attributes that separate Wembanyama from other players throughout league history with his cartoonish dimensions is his advanced skill as a shooter, dribbler and even passer. His size and comfort with the ball is a combination of traits the sport has literally never seen before.

Can you really blame Spoelstra for harping on Wembanyama's aerial rim-rattling exploits, though? He's the only player in the world who could even dream of calling for a halfcourt lob while still standing beyond the three-point line, let alone manage to finish with a lefty slam over traffic from outside the restricted area.

Related San Antonio Spurs NewsArticle continues below
The San Antonio Spurs received the No. 2 and 14 picks in the NBA Draft Lottery.
Spurs’ Mitch Johnson hints at San Antonio’s plans with lottery picks
San Antonio Spurs, Dylan Harper, Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Rumor: The Spurs’ plans for the No. 2 pick in 2025 NBA Draft, revealed

Don't forget the no-dribble, Euro-step transition dunk while catching outside the arc, either.

Spoelstra said it himself: The hype, somehow, seems real.

Exhibition play isn't the 82-game grind, and opposing players and coaches will no doubt get up to face Wembanyama throughout the regular season, resulting in some tough outings for the 19-year-old rookie. While San Antonio boasts some impressive young talent, Gregg Popovich's team won't be competing for a top-six seed in the West this season, either.

Who cares? Wembanyama is at least several years away from his prime. Every mind-bending highlight between now and then isn't just a sign of what's to come, but evidence of Wembanyama's wholly unique impact on the game even while striving to someday reach his all-time potential.