The San Antonio Spurs had a 125-92 win over the Dallas Mavericks, hinting at a potentially great 2025-26 season ahead. Victor Wembanyama‘s strong performance, which saw him lead the Spurs with 40 points, was what captivated the crowd. Wemby also added 15 rebounds and three blocks against a Mavericks team that opted for a taller lineup.
Dallas had a starting lineup of Dererck Lively II at the center and Anthony Davis playing the power forward position. PJ Washington was moved to the small forward spot and Klay Thompson was the shooting guard. Interestingly, head coach Jason Kidd assigned rookie forward Cooper Flagg as the team’s starting point guard.
Despite this experiment, it didn’t hinder Wembanyama and the Spurs from controlling the pace of the game. The French superstar took over the game and had 21 points in the first half of the game.
It’s just the first game of the year, but Victor Wembanyama has already started to set the pace for the Spurs.
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA TONIGHT:
40 POINTS
15 REBOUNDS
3 BLOCKS
77.4% TS%THE LEAGUE IS REALLY IN TROUBLE
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 23, 2025
After his performance, fans raved about what he can do on the floor.
“If he stays healthy he’s entering GOAT convos,” a fan said.
“Watching him absolutely f**k an all time great defender with ease,” another fan commented.
“I’m genuinely scared for the league,” one fan said.
I'm genuinely scared for the league pic.twitter.com/3IsYqlCub0
— 15🃏 (@jokic_era) October 23, 2025
Other fans cited how Wembanyama was able to play without turning the ball over a single time.
“Under 30 mins and 0 turnovers prob the craziest part,” someone commented.
Under 30 minutes, 70% fg, not a single turnover, defenders jumping on head fakes,” a comment read. “He’s actually a monster”
“This mfker is really unfair man” a fan said. “He’s basically Ohtani of NBA😭”
This mfker is really unfair man
He's basically Ohtani of NBA😭— らずー (@rasmiez) October 23, 2025
The next game for Wembanyama and the Spurs will be on Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Victor Wembanyama made history against the Mavericks
Fans were excited to see Victor Wembanyama back on the floor after he was shut down by the Spurs in February after the discovery of a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. Given that he missed a significant amount of time away from the game, many were looking forward to his return.
In his first game back, he did not disappoint with his legendary performance. Wemby made franchise history as the only Spurs player to score at least 40 points in a regular-season opener. The big man surpassed legendary player George Gervin, who held the record with his 39-point performance on Oct. 19, 1977.
With 40 points tonight, Victor Wembanyama now holds the franchise record for most points by a @spurs player in a regular-season opener, passing George Gervin.
Most points by a Spurs player in a regular-season opener:
▪️ Victor Wembanyama, 40 points (Oct. 22, 2025)
▪️ George… pic.twitter.com/pFoKLbsRHz— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) October 23, 2025
Victor Wembanyama also joined Anthony Davis in a historic list. Davis was the last player to record at least 40 points and 15 rebounds in a season-opener. AD had 50 points and 15 rebounds against the Denver Nuggets in 2016.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
