The San Antonio Spurs may have lost Victor Wembanyama's debut on Wednesday night, but there was at least one good omen. Wembanyama posted almost the same exact stat line as Tim Duncan when the Spurs legend made his first appearance in 1997.
The Spurs fell to the Dallas Mavericks, 126-119, but there was still a lot to like about Wembanyama's performance. He hit six of his nine attempts from the field, totaled 15 points and added two assists. It just so happens that those were the exact numbers Duncan posted in his rookie debut 26 years ago when the Spurs defeated the Denver Nuggets.
Wild 😳
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 26, 2023
(h/t @EmilianoNaiar8) pic.twitter.com/1YQGzV2Lxh
Duncan did have 10 rebounds, which doubled Wembanyama's total from opening night. However, Duncan played over 35 minutes in his first game, whereas Wembanyama got just 23 minutes against the Mavs. That disparity in playing time was primarily due to Wembanyama encountering foul trouble in the first half.
The Spurs can only hope that this stat line is a sign of things to come for Weembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. After Ducan was drafted No. 1 overall in 1997, he became a 15-time All-Star, a two-time MVP and a five-time NBA champion.
Before Wembanyama can achieve all that, he and San Antonio need to pick up their first win of the season. Their next opportunity to do that is Friday Night against the Houston Rockets.
