16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in 21 minutes. French player Victor Wembanyama has become the second youngest man in NBA history to achieve such a performance. Only the American Russell Westbrook surpassed him, accomplishing this feat in 2014 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Additionally, considering that the San Antonio Spurs rookie had no turnovers during this impressive run, no one has ever done better.
Beyond making history, Wemby’s stratospheric performance last night against the Pistons primarily helped his team stay afloat. Yes, aside from the French player's brilliance, the Spurs' season has been completely catastrophic so far. With 6 wins and 30 losses, the impact of the number one pick in the last draft isn't enough to compensate for the weaknesses in the rest of the roster. San Antonio faces Charlotte in the next game, another lower-ranked team against whom they might be able to start a streak of positive results.
This is not the first time that the 7'4" giant has impressed this season. He achieves double-doubles in almost every one of his games, averaging 19.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. Moreover, he is the league's top shot-blocker with an average of 3.2 blocks. Despite these phenomenal statistics, it is not yet certain that he will finish as the Rookie of the Year, as American player Chet Holmgren is competing for this honor too. Holmgren has less impressive stats in all aspects of the game, but his team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, is currently ranked second in the Western Conference. A collective success that makes the difference.
The historic triple-double that will etch Wemby into NBA statistics for decades to come can be slightly tempered by the level of the opponent. The Detroit Pistons are, in fact, even more concerning than the Spurs this year. Also last in their conference but with only three wins, beating them 130-108 is not inherently very challenging. Many have already done it, and many will do it again. However, when people will look back at the French player's career achievements in some years, few will remember this favorable context, and that's all the better for him.
At the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris next summer, Victor Wembanyama will undoubtedly be one of the major stars to watch. If his performance yesterday is just a glimpse of what he is gearing up to do, the French team has a trump card in its quest for a medal.
