What we learned from Victor Wembanyama’s NBA debut،
During the first three quarters, the statistical line was not impressive (6 points, 2 of 4 on shots). The jaw-dropping highlights seen in the preseason were mostly absent. Foul trouble kept him on the bench for almost 16 minutes.
In fact, for a while, it looked like Victor Wembanyama wouldn’t even be San Antonio’s most impressive rookie on Wednesday night. That honor would instead go to Dallas Mavericks big man Derek Lively II, who made his first six shots en route to 16 points coming off the bench.
Then the fourth quarter came and Wembanyama scored nine points in three minutes, finishing with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, although the Spurs ended up falling to the Mavs 126-119. Still, Wembanyama set the stage for what many expect to be a rookie of the year season in his highly anticipated NBA debut.
Our NBA insiders covered Wemby’s first game from every angle and shared their biggest takeaways from the start of a generation in the making.
Everybody wants to see the Wemby Show
There was an NBA Finals-like atmosphere on the Spurs sidelines before Wembanyama’s debut. Spurs have accredited more than 200 members of the media, representing eight different countries and territories. It seemed like everyone, along with Spurs executives and agents, were filling the sidelines and baseline on San Antonio’s side of the field when Wembanyama came out of the tunnel for his pregame warmup with a little more 74 minutes on the clock, the countdown to the most anticipated NBA debut in a generation.
Wembanyama was praising fans on both sides as he walked out, his 8-foot wingspan easily covering the entire width of the tunnel. Dozens and dozens of phones and cameras were pointed at the man of the hour as he walked to the middle of the field and began his pre-match routine with a few dribbles. For over 20 minutes, Wembanyama worked his way around, shooting all over the court.
Finally, with 48 minutes left, Wembanyama had a brief conversation at the free-throw line with Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson before heading to the locker room. The pre-match show was over. The real show was ready to begin.
Wembanyama’s previous debuts — for Summer League in Las Vegas and during the preseason in Oklahoma City — both had their share of fans, but nothing compared to Wednesday’s sold-out crowd of 18,947 in San Antonio, most of whom were in their place long before. warning, ready for the arrival of the third No. 1 overall pick in franchise history.
–André López
Spurs and Wemby will overcome growing pains
Wembanyama showed flashes of his immense talent on both ends of the court in his debut. He also demonstrated the considerable work the Spurs coaching staff must do to find the best way to utilize him. Starting an unconventional lineup featuring three big men and no playmakers, the Spurs’ distinct lack of shooting and playmaking limited Wembanyama to being almost exclusively a jump shooter for long stretches; all four of his field goal attempts in the first three quarters came from beyond the arc. Wembanyama’s best minutes came in the fourth quarter alongside backup point guard Tre Jones in more conventional formations where he was able to play to his strengths as a pick-and-roll screener, post threat and rim runner , while having the freedom to create 1-on-1 and show off its dynamic shooting.
The fouls were truly the story of the night, limiting Wembanyama to just 23 minutes, a surprising result after he committed just one foul in just one game in over 60 games in France last season (unlike the NBA, FIBA rules only allow five fouls). in 40 minutes). It wasn’t his lack of strength or NBA physicality that appealed to him, but rather stupid fouls on both ends of the court that ruined his debut, something that’s easy to attribute to nerves.
Wembanyama again showed glimpses of what made him the No. 1 pick, blocking Kyrie Irving’s jump shot on the first play of the game and knocking down three beautiful 3-pointers with his incredibly high release point. A pick-and-roll lob by Devin Vassell midway through the fourth quarter also stood out. As the Spurs continue to shape their team around him and learn how to best place him in positions to succeed, we will no doubt see more and more of what makes Wembanyama such a special prospect.
-Jonathan Givony
Spurs need to give Wemby easier looks
Getting Wembanyama more involved in the offense will be a key task for the Spurs after opening night. That wasn’t a problem during the preseason, when Wembanyama’s usage rate of 34 percent ranked seventh among rotation players.
On Wednesday, with the Mavericks putting more emphasis on game planning, Dallas guard Grant Williams largely took on the mission of defending Wembanyama while looking to avoid turnovers. Williams denied Wemby the ball, a big reason the No. 1 pick attempted just four shots — all 3s — in his 16 minutes over the first three quarters.
As Jonathan noted, Wembanyama’s nine-point spurt in less than four minutes in the fourth minute occurred when he moved to center, giving him a more favorable matchup against Lively in transition when he scored from 3 points. Given that San Antonio seems reluctant to play him full time at No. 5, the Spurs need to find other ways to play Wembanyama, who hasn’t touched the ball on either of the team’s last two possessions.
A simple answer is to do a better job of finding Wembanyama when he flees. The San Antonio crowd groaned audibly when Wemby failed to get the ball with Kyrie Irving as the only defender to confront him. Finding easier looks for Wembanyama will help on nights when his 3-point shot isn’t falling like it was in the first game.
-Kevin Pelton
Mavs rookie steals the show
The highest-scoring rookie on the court at Frost Bank Center in Wednesday’s season opener was a 7-foot first-round draft pick from…Philadelphia.
Dallas rookie big man Derek Lively II played a vital role in the Mavs’ win over the Spurs, contributing 16 points, 10 rebounds and solid rim protection in his 31 minutes off the bench. The Mavs were plus-20 with Lively on the field, earning Duke’s 12th overall pick a spot on the final roster.
“He played wonderfully,” Mavs superstar Luka Doncic said in his ESPN interview, eloquently summing up Lively’s performance.
Lively was 7 of 8 from the floor, becoming the first player in 60 years to post a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds while shooting at least 80 percent from the floor in his debut, according to ESPN Stats & Information. . Five of his buckets were dunks, the most by a player making his debut in at least 25 years.
Lively has the luxury of playing with two elite playmakers in Doncic and Irving and has thrived as a pick-and-roll lob threat. Three of Lively’s dunks were alley-oops by Doncic, who scored six buckets in pick-and-rolls with Lively during the superstar’s 33-point, 14-rebound, 10-assist performance.
“I feel like we built chemistry, built trust with each other,” Lively said.
It was a little surprising that Lively came off the bench after starting every preseason game. Coach Jason Kidd, who opened the second half with Lively in the lineup, assured Lively would be a starter soon — and for a long time.
“A lot of good things from our rookie tonight,” Kidd said. “But the Spurs rookie is pretty good too.”
-Tim MacMahon
