Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama joins Shaq in history after 38-point performance

Victor Wembanyama put up his best performance yet in the NBA and joined some all-time greats in the history books to lead the San Antonio Spurs to their second-straight win over the Phoenix Suns.

Wembanyama produced 38 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal in the 132-121 victory on the road. He finished by shooting 15-of-26 from the field, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range, in 34 minutes of action.

The 19-year-old joined LeBron James and Kevin Durant as the only teenagers to record at least 35 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in a game. His 38 points were the third-most by a Spurs rookie.

“He is a multifaceted player,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’ll pass it to the open guy, but has got confidence in himself and he made some plays that were unbelievable. That combination is pretty good if you have that skill and are still willing to pass.”

Just two nights after shaking off a slow start versus the Suns, in which he produced 18 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, Wembanyama put together an overall performance from start to finish. He had 20 points in the first half.

He helped the Spurs stave off a furious comeback attempt by the Suns, who trailed by 27 points in the second quarter. They eventually tied the game up at 116 points apiece midway through the fourth quarter, but the Spurs finished on a 16-5 run to win.

Wembanyama scored 10 of those points.

“Somebody has got to do it, you know?” Wembanyama said. “Tomorrow is going to be another one of my teammates (that takes over). Two days ago, it was Keldon (Johnson). This is how we work: As a group, as a team.”

He continued a strong start to the season with the effort.

The No. 1 pick is averaging 20.6 points, eight rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals. He is the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992 to total 103 points and 10 blocks over his first five career games, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Wembanyama is showcasing himself well with the Spurs and proving why he is considered a once-in-a-generation player. The sky is the limit for him, and that could be very scary for the rest of the league.

Story originally appeared on Rookie Wire