How Victor Wembanyama s — After Victor Wembanyama authored the worst shooting game of his career on opening night, a 1-for-13 showing in a loss to the Thunder, I wrote that the Spurs' honeymoon was over. It was dramatic by design -- a play on the early-season, and in this case single-game, overreactions we always get at the start of every new campaign. But there was truth in it.

Key Developments and Main Event

Last year, everything the Spurs did was on house money. Winning 62 games. Eliminating the defending champion Thunder on the road in Game 7 of the conference finals. Holding the lead vs. the Knicks for 72% of total minutes played in the Finals. Wembanyama unanimously winning Defensive Player of the Year and finishing third in MVP voting.

All prologue, no expectations. This year, the real story starts, and we knew the benefit of the doubt would be gone. When Wembanyama laid that opening-night egg, the chatter started. He was crowned too soon. He doesn't have a go-to shot or spot. After that game, Wembanyama had no need for the critics.

Core Facts and Essential Highlights

He was his own biggest critic, lamenting his hesitancy and overthinking, saying he needed to "go back to playing the basketball I like." "I got no reason to be hesitant, no reason to not be myself," Wembanyama said. "For me, it's as simple as that. I'm good when I have fun." Suffice it to say, he's been having plenty of fun since.

Over his last seven games, Wembanyama is averaging 31.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.3 blocks on 52% shooting. After opening 0-2, San Antonio has won six straight, with the latest being Wednesday night's 112-111 thriller over the Mavericks, who erased a 19-point deficit to tie the game with under two minutes to play. In the end, Wembanyama was just too much.

Broader Context and Market Implications

He scored the Spurs' final seven points and 11 of their last 13 and hit the game-winning free-throw. When it was all said and done, the box score read like something out of a video game: 52 points, 24 rebounds and eight blocks as he became the first player to hit those marks since Bob McAdoo more than a half century ago.

CAREER NIGHT FOR VICTOR WEMBANYAMA 🚨🤯 52 PTS (CAREER-HIGH)🤯 24 REB (CAREER-HIGH)🤯 8 BLKFIRST PLAYER WITH 50+ PTS, 20+ REB, 5+ BLK SINCE BOB MCADOO IN 1974.

pic.twitter.com/lHzUhYYSTz— NBA (@NBA) November 5, 2026 CAREER NIGHT FOR VICTOR WEMBANYAMA 🚨🤯 52 PTS (CAREER-HIGH)🤯 24 REB (CAREER-HIGH)🤯 8 BLKFIRST PLAYER WITH 50+ PTS, 20+ REB, 5+ BLK SINCE BOB MCADOO IN 1974. pic.twitter.com/lHzUhYYSTz Actually, that's selling Wembanyama short. McAdoo only had seven blocks in that 1974 game against the Celtics.

Filter it for at least 50, 20 and eight blocks, and only Wilt Chamberlain has done it, and that was before blocks became an official stat. The dude had 29, 15 and five in the first half, for crying out loud. No player in the last 30 years has registered that halftime line.

• The only player in history to have multiple games with at least 40 points and five blocks before the age of 23. • The fourth player in history to record at least 200 points and 30 blocks through the first eight games in two consecutive seasons, joining Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing. OK, so Wembanyama is a beast. We all knew this.

He's going to have a lot of historic-number games.