Victor Wembanyama made his long-awaited NBA debut Wednesday night when the Spurs opened their regular season with a loss against the visiting Mavericks. Despite the less-than-desirable outcome for San Antonio, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft had an impressive stat line—and it looked a bit familiar.
Wembanyama finished his debut with 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field and notched two assists and five rebounds. Almost 26 years earlier, Hall of Famer Tim Duncan made his debut for San Antonio on Oct. 31, 1997, after being selected with the No. 1 pick out of Wake Forest that summer. In his debut against the Nuggets, Duncan also tallied 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting with two assists. Duncan had the French phenom beat on the boards, though, with 10.
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Obviously, it’s far too soon to say whether Wembanyama will go down as one of the greatest players in NBA history, but the numbers are eerily similar. Duncan was the last player the Spurs selected with the No. 1 pick, and he delivered five championships to the organization in his 19 years there.
If Wembanyama can enjoy even a fraction of that success, the Spurs are in good hands.
