In a game-changing debut, Victor Wembanyama’s, still in his teenage years, etched his name in NBA history. His extraordinary performance, amassing 21 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks during San Antonio’s recent match against the Bulls, solidified his place as the sole player to record at least 350 points, 50 assists, 50 blocks, and 25 steals in the initial 20 games of an NBA career.
Comparatively, Victor Wembanyama’s stats overshadow those of celebrated big men who entered the league after the introduction of steals and blocks as official statistics in 1973. While acknowledging the somewhat arbitrary nature of the statistical benchmarks, Wembanyama stands out as the leader in assists, a rarity among players of his stature historically.
Although his total rebounds fall short in comparison to some of these predecessors, the evolving dynamics of the game, with modern big men often defending the perimeter, contribute to this variance in rebounding statistics.
While acknowledging that legends like Shaquille O’Neal might have scored more and blocked additional shots in their initial 20 games, Wembanyama’s higher assist count and increased steals place him in a league of his own. His overall performance undeniably positions him alongside the greatest big men in basketball history.
Adding to his groundbreaking debut, Wembanyama, at the age of 19 years and 338 days, became the youngest player to achieve a 20-point/20-rebound game, surpassing the record set by Dwight Howard at 19 years and 342 days in 2005
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