Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama joins David Robinson in history with latest effort
Victor Wembanyama stuffed the stat sheet on Thursday to lead the San Antonio Spurs to victory, and the rookie joined Hall of Famer David Robinson in the history books in the process.
Wembanyama produced 30 points, seven blocked shots, six rebounds and six assists in a 118-105 win on the road over the Portland Trail Blazers. He went 9-of-14 from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, in 24 minutes of work.
The No. 1 pick joined Robinson as the only two rookies in history to record at least 30 points, seven blocks, six rebounds and six assists in a game. He is one of nine players ever to reach that stat line and is the only teenager to do so (19 years, 358 days).
“It comes natural to him,” said Jeremy Sochan, who had 16 points and seven rebounds. “He doesn’t force anything. He was just being him and we were finding him. He was doing his thing.”
Wembanyama registered his third 30-point game, the most by a first-year player this season. He is one of two rookies with multiple 30-point games (Chet Holmgren) and is one of three players with at least five blocks in five or more games (Brook Lopez, Walker Kessler).
Victor Wembanyama put on a SHOW tonight as the Spurs pick up the win in Portland! 🤩
30 PTS / 6 REB / 6 AST / 7 BLK
Wemby is the 2nd rookie in NBA History to record 30+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 7+ blocks in a game (David Robinson – 03/19/1990). pic.twitter.com/0mtmHjD0fC
— NBA (@NBA) December 29, 2023
Wembanyama played for the second time since rolling his right ankle on the foot of a Dallas Mavericks employee during a pregame warmup on Saturday. He is still on a minute restriction and is expected to sit Friday against the Trail Blazers.
The effort by Wembanyama helped the Spurs snap a five-game losing streak. They never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 28 points in the first quarter to improve to 5-25 on the season. It was their third wire-to-wire victory of the season.
“Tonight, we haven’t been shooting the ball so much better than the other games or do so much stuff different,” Wembanyama said. “Just coming into the game, the energy and never stopping the ball and always moving and sharing it. On defense, all of us were locked in and in the shifts. We had a lot of deflections, especially in the first half. It’s all of it — the details. When we get them all together, this is what it looks like.”
