Victor Wembanyama, the NBA’s most heralded rookie since LeBron James entered in 2003, didn’t exactly light up the Summer League scorecard in his debut.
But if opening night jitters held him back a tad on the scorecard, it didn’t matter on the scoreboard. The San Antonio Spurs topped the Charlotte Hornets 76-68, as former St. John’s star Josh Champagne led the Spurs with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
Wembanyama made some slick passes in his 27 minutes of action, but shot a poor 2-13 from the field. He finished with 9 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, although he did a solid job of protecting the rim with 5 blocks. He showed a good handle in bringing the ball up, and hit a 3-point shot, reflecting his all-around game.
Wembanyama, a French player who was the No. 1 draft choice a month ago, entered the court to a roar from the crowd, who wanted to see whether his multiple talents would manifest in a higher-caliber league than his native France. The game was also televised by ESPN, lending a bigger aura to the game than the usual summer league matches, which feature free agents and players still trying to make their mark.
The No. 1 draftee was actually outscored by Brandon Miller of Charlotte, the No. 2. Miller had 16 points and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes.
But again, look at the scoreboard.