DALLAS — Victor Wembanyama has returned and the NBA is in awe. The 21-year-old played in his first regular season game since a blood clot ended last season in February. The results were utterly incredible in the San Antonio Spurs’ 125-92 opening night win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Wembanyama finished with 40 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in just 30 minutes, shooting 15-of-21 from the field and 9-of-11 from the line. This was the Wemby of everyone’s dreams, a gigantic, free-flowing basketball maestro channeling his powers.
After a summer of confronting his health scare by chasing growth around the world, he looked composed, determined and free.
“I’m much more in control of myself,” he said. “The mind, I’m not worried about, because I saw what it was like to be confronted with potentially losing a lot, whether it’s your career or your health. So I’m not taking this for granted anymore. The body, I’m having more fun. I’m not struggling to move as much and I know I still need to get better and I’m still going to get better.”
Scouts at the game told The Athletic that he may already be the MVP. ESPN’s Jay Bilas said on the broadcast that it’s like watching Tiger Woods hit a golf ball, if he were 7-foot-5.
He joined Tim Duncan as the only Spurs players to cross the 30-point, 10-rebound threshold in a season-opener, per The Athletic’s James Jackson. He was the fourth player since 1977-78 to record 40 points and 15 rebounds without a turnover, all in just 30 minutes.
Though his numbers were outstanding, the way he put his stat line together was jaw-dropping. The impossible dunks, unstoppable shots and shocking blocks, he did everything and anything he could think of to blow this game open.
Highlights from our season opener in Dallas ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/a0hebVZswU
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 23, 2025
Wembanyama’s dominance relegated the opening night battle of the top two draft picks to an afterthought. Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper took time to establish themselves, but both showed why they are the league’s top rookies in the second half. But as the game went on, Wembanyama’s shot-making opened too wide a gap for Dallas to close.
EMPHATIC BLOCK.
ISO STEPBACK 4-POINT PLAY.
10-0 WEMBY RUN… HE’S GOT 31! pic.twitter.com/VP4HwuDLNn
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2025
Wembanyama threw down a collection of dunks that were as exciting as they were surprising, but he also showed a more well-rounded offensive game from the perimeter. He was much more focused on attacking the paint, but also looks more composed as a perimeter scorer now.
Sequences like the one below, where he blocked Dereck Lively III on one end, then danced around him for a step-back 4-point play on the other, made this night into a spectacle. The Mavs would hang around until Wembanyama would do something to just blow the game open and they never recovered after this one.
EMPHATIC BLOCK.
ISO STEPBACK 4-POINT PLAY.
10-0 WEMBY RUN… HE’S GOT 31! pic.twitter.com/VP4HwuDLNn
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2025
Wembanyama had to be seen to be believed. His drives were just too explosive, as he kept getting through and over Anthony Davis, one of the league’s best defenders. One of his standout plays of the game came with 8:38 left in the fourth quarter, as he hit Davis with a hesitation move in transition and just kept driving through Davis’ chest until he threw down the dunk.
His physical aggression was even more impressive than in the preseason and a complete revolution from last season. But his patience was the key to opening up the floor for everyone else.
As coach Mitch Johnson said during a timeout shown on the broadcast, the Spurs had to embrace the boring. When Wembanyama would simply pass out of a double team and make the simple play, he was rewarded by getting the ball returned to him while he was making a cut for an easy dunk. The more he let the game come to him, the more it responded in his favor.
Flagg and Harper learned the same thing over the course of the evening, as it took them a bit of time to find their footing. It was the second time the top two picks of the draft met in the season-opener since 1966. Harper finished with 15 points and 7-of-14 shooting, while Flagg had 10 points and 10 rebounds but shot just 4-of-13 from the field.
This was a declarative win for the Spurs, proving that an offense led by Wembanyama can function well, even without starting point guard De’Aaron Fox. It was a confirmation that the big man will be the focal point of everything they do and that he brings enough to the table to justify postseason expectations.
“It feels like it’s time (for the Spurs) to move on to the next step and we need to make a statement,” Wembanyama said. “Because we’re all tired of losing. That’s the truth.”
Stephon Castle said that the game was a representation of how the Spurs have come together over the course of the preseason. They are a deep team with lots of pieces to put together.
Then he added one little variable to the equation, that big piece that completes the puzzle.
“We got Victor Wembanyama on the team, too.”
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