Victor Wembanyama dominated Detroit with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in just 21 minutes.
Victor Wembanyama looked like the biggest playmaker in the world, setting up teammates with slick passes on the break and in the post.
The 7-foot-3 French rookie phenom had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double in the NBA, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 130-108 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick last summer, pulled off the feat in just 21 minutes. In NBA history, only Russell Westbrook had double digits in points, rebounds and assists faster in a 20-minute performance for Oklahoma in 2014.
“Doing it in a win is everything, of course,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t know it was the second-fastest in NBA history. It matters to me. I’m not the type to talk for nothing. This is the kind of statement we want to make as a team, and this is type of statement I want to make as a player.”
He had no turnovers in the game, becoming the youngest player (20 years, 6 days old) in NBA history to record a triple-double with zero turnovers (which were first tracked by the NBA starting in 1977-78). His performance bested that of Andre Iguodala, who had a zero-turnover triple-double at 21 years, 54 days old in 2005.
Victor Wembanyama (20yr, 6d) becomes the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple double with 0 turnovers (since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78), previous: Andre Iguodala (21yr, 54d) 03/23/2005 https://t.co/0mIqkAwYUi pic.twitter.com/KwSfPQ8cRM
— NBA (@NBA) January 11, 2024
“We’re asking him to do a lot, and he’s ready for it,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said.
Wembanyama was 6 of 16 from the field, missing all four of his 3-point attempts, and surpassed his previous season high of seven assists.
“He’s just a very good passer,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He was a good passer before he got here.”
Wembanyama’s latest sensational game was against the franchise that was hoping to land him. Detroit had the league’s worst record last season, but didn’t get the first pick in the draft lottery.
“It’s weird to imagine a different future and what it could been,” he said.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
