Calm down.
NBA fans were quick to overreact to Victor Wembanyama’s debut with the Spurs on Wednesday.
Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, recorded 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting and five rebounds in 23 minutes in the 126-119 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
He added two assists, two steals and one block.
The 7-foot-4 French phenom had an impressive debut, but was somewhat limited due to foul trouble.
Social media showed no patience for the most-hyped prospect since LeBron James entered the league 20 years ago.
“What an underwhelming debut for Victor Wembanyama,” one person posted on X, while another wrote he’s “overrated.”
Others claimed the teenage sensation wasn’t aggressive enough in his first NBA game.
Wembanyama’s debut was also underwhelming for media personality Mike Golic.
“Victor Wembanyama’s debut was a lot like my golf game,” Golic said. “Just good enough to keep me coming back … I feel like I got tricked into watching a full Spurs game.”
Reminder: It was game one of the Spurs’ 2023-24 season.
“I really hope there aren’t any ridiculous tweets tonight calling Victor Wembanyama a bust after one NBA game…,” one X user wrote.
As a rookie who’s acclimating to a new league, Wembanyama understandably has to develop and learn the ropes under head coach Gregg Popovich.
Wembanyama turned it in the fourth quarter, scoring nine of his 15 points.
The former Metropolitans 92 player looked poised while going up against two perennial All-Stars in Mavericks guards Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic.
Doncic had high praise for Wembanyama.
“Honestly, he was great, he came off the bench,” Doncic said after notching a 33-point triple double. “It was his first official NBA game and he was pretty amazing.
“I remember my first game and I was pretty nervous, but he didn’t look like it, so he’s gonna get even better.”
Popovich praised his star rookie for his maturity, especially in the final minutes.
“I thought his maturity showed even at a young age when he came in with the last seven minutes and just played, he executed, where a lot of guys would have been totally out of it,” Popovich said.
The Spurs are back in action Friday when they host the Rockets.