Wembanyama, the first in the NBA: San Antonio-Dallas 119-126

Ups and downs but in the end Victor Wembanyama’s premiere does not disappoint. With the eyes of the NBA, and of the entire basketball world, the French phenomenon starts out a little tense, scores 6 points in the first three quarters of the match, then changes gear in the final fraction and gives flashes of his infinite talent. In the end it was the Mavs who smiled, beating the Spurs 126-119, and the first overall pick in the last draft closed his first NBA game with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, one assist, 5 turnovers and 5 fouls in 23′.

How much waiting

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The enthusiasm for Wemby Day in the city of the Alamo is sky high for a game that looks more like an NBA Finals match, and they’ve seen a lot of finals here, than the first match of the season. More than 200 accredited journalists with a significant French continent (25), to testify how the debut in the NBA of the transalpine phenomenon is truly a global event. Naturally unobtainable tickets and Wembanyama t-shirts everywhere in the stands of the Frost Bank Center. The introduction of the first overall pick in the last draft sends the San Antonio crowd into orbit and Wemby immediately introduces himself to the NBA with a nice block in the face of Irving. San Antonio moves the ball very well in attack in the first quarter, with Doncic and his teammates going haywire and allowing comfortable shots in a series to Pop’s team. Victor Wembanyama’s first basket in the National Basketball Association came with 8’24” left in the first period. A triple with a truly meaningless shooting technique for a 2.24 player. At the end of the half the Frenchman always responds from long range.

Choices

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The Spurs play on velvet with the Mavericks who defend without the slightest discipline or aggression. So everything was easy for an excellent Vassell and for the rest of coach Popovich’s squad. At the end of the first quarter, the Spurs have 43 points on the scoresheet. Pop chooses to limit the playing time of the player who everyone came to applaud and in attack in the first half the ball hardly passes through Wemby’s hands who however never goes to the post. A strange choice given that the new Spurs idol is 20 centimeters taller than his direct marker. Dallas gets back into the match in the second quarter with baskets from Doncic and Hardaway Jr. and arrives at the break four points late. Six points, three rebounds, one assist and one block for Wemby in the first half of his debut game in the NBA. The second half doesn’t start in the best way for the Frenchman who in the first four minutes encounters two turnovers and then commits two avoidable fouls in attack, Pop is thus forced to bring the guest of honor back to the bench, with four fouls against him , at the Frost Bank Center gala. Dallas takes advantage of this to close the third quarter on a high note, take the lead and arrive at the start of the final quarter ahead by five points. Wemby returns but after just 26” he goes straight into the arm of a penetrating Doncic, fifth foul and back on the bench. But just when the Wemby premiere seems to be going down with a hint of disappointment, considering the hype, the Frenchman changes direction with his performance. Wemby returns at 7’12 and shows a newfound aggression: he immediately finds the basket, then scores from long range and sends the San Antonio crowd into ecstasy with a dunk. Dallas remains in front thanks to Doncic’s exploits but Wemby from the middle level ties the score with 3’55” from the end. After scoring six points in the first three quarters of the match, Wembanyama scored nine in less than four minutes when he counted most, in the final half. Doncic and Irving, however, have other plans, they decide to accelerate and with an 11-2 run they lead the Mavs to success on Wemby Night. However, San Antonio will not easily forget the debut of its new idol.