NBA Draft

Spurs Rookie Victor Wembanyama Continues to Push Boundaries with Historic Night Against Knicks

Scoring 40 points is extremely rare for any rookie, but doing it while also pulling down 20 rebounds is almost unheard of. 

Nick Crain

Mar 29, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) goes up to
Mar 29, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) goes up to / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
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A ceiling doesn’t exist for San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama. 

Just when you think there’s nothing else that Wembanyama could possibly do that would surprise you given how many historic nights he’s already had this season, he puts together a 40-point, 20-rebound game against the New York Knicks. Not only did he have the best game of his young career, but it came in a win against one of the best teams in the NBA.

Along with the rare 40/20 line — which made him the first rookie to do it since Shaquille O’Neal in 1993 — Wembanyama also produced seven assists, two steals and a block. He went head-to-head with Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who finished with 61 points on the night. Wembanyama just turned 20 years old in January and is already making the case for being a top-25 player in the entire NBA. 

As incredible as Wembamyama’s box score was, you had to see it to truly understand how special this performance was. He made huge shots all throughout the game, including a dagger triple with roughly a minute left in overtime. And while he only blocked one shot, he altered countless others which made it difficult for New York to score points — outside of Brunson, of course. 

At this point, the NBA Rookie of the Year race is over. As impressive as Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren has been on a contending team, Wembanyama is pushing the boundaries as potentially having one of the best rookie seasons of all time. 

With just eight games remaining in the season for the Spurs, Wembanyama is a must-watch talent. We’re truly witnessing history, as the rookie big breaks records on a regular basis. 

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Nick Crain
NICK CRAIN

Nick is co-founder and lead draft analyst for Draft Digest. A credentialed NBA reporter for over five years, he's covered the league for various outlets including SLAM and Forbes.

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