Victor Wembanyama, Christmas Day debut at Madison Square Garden was nothing short of spectacular.
Victor The 7-foot-4 phenom, who has already taken the NBA by storm, dazzled the crowd with a game-high 42 points and 18 rebounds in the San Antonio Spurs’ narrow 117-114 loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
The 20-year-old Frenchman, making his first appearance on Christmas Day, became only the third player in NBA history to score 40+ points and grab 15+ rebounds in a Christmas game, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Nikola Jokic.
His 42-point performance was also the third-highest in Christmas Day debut history, trailing only Chamberlain (45) and Tracy McGrady (43).
“I don’t even know really the history of the best Christmas games,”Victor Wembanyama said after the game.
“I’m thinking about the game right now and just thinking we were close, but relaxed on some attributes at times.”
Wembanyama’s all-around performance also included 4 assists, 4 blocks, and a hot shooting display — drilling 6 three-pointers, including several clutch shots that kept the Spurs in the game.
However, his historic outing wasn’t enough to overcome a 41-point explosion from Mikal Bridges, who led the Knicks to a big victory.
The contest was a thrilling back-and-forth affair, with the Spurs having a chance to tie the game in the final minute.
Wembanyama, though, showed his unique skill set from the outset, even though his offense started slow.
He hit only 3 of his first 9 shots in the opening quarter, missing his first 4 three-point attempts, but defensively, he was a force, blocking shots and altering numerous others, including limiting Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to just 1-of-9 shooting when he was their primary defender.
The game was also a reminder of the Spurs’ growth under Wembanyama’s leadership.
Though the loss stung, Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson was pleased with his star’s effort.
The Knicks dominated the glass, especially on the offensive boards, out-rebounding the Spurs 17-8 in that department and securing 19 second-chance points. That ultimately helped push New York to the victory.
As for Wembanyama, the young star wasn’t content with his individual numbers. “We are right there,” he said, reflecting on the team’s loss.
“It’s just a [switch] we’ve got to flip. I’m sure we’re going to see that it works and we’re going to get addicted to playing this way.”
