San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama put the NBA on notice on Wednesday. In the first game of the 2025-26 NBA season, Wembanyama had a 40-point performance against the Dallas Mavericks to lead the Spurs to a 125-92 victory. He took the No. 1 spot in franchise history who scoring the most points in an opening game.
Wemby was everywhere on the floor for the Spurs. He was scoring, rebounding and blocking shots. The Frenchman made sure his presence was known and felt by the opposing team. The big man even spoiled the debut game of the No. 1 pick, Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks forward had 10 points and 10 rebounds on 30.8% shooting from the field.
Everyone was surprised by what Wembanyama did on the floor. Former Chicago Bulls player Jay Williams had the ultimate compliment for the Spurs star after his performance. He called it “the highest ceiling in the NBA.”
“You made mention of LeBron [James] and Steph [Curry],” Williams said. “I think there’s a tier we’re talking about right now. SGA, Luka [Doncic]. [Nikola] Jokic to me has been the best player in the game. What I saw last night? Is the highest ceiling in the NBA.
"What I saw last night? Is the highest ceiling in the NBA. … If [Victor Wembanyama] plays with this confidence? That's the best player in the league."@RealJayWilliams weighs in on Victor Wembanyama after his performance against the Mavericks ✍️ pic.twitter.com/K8Gys64xsE
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 23, 2025
The analyst compared Victor Wembanyama to former NBA star Yao Ming, the No. 1 pick in 2002, who was drafted ahead of Williams.
“This is Yao Ming meets Kevin Durant. But the confidence was a key that built it for me last night… This, to me, felt personal last night. It felt like he went at AD (Anthony Davis), he went at Cooper Flagg… Now, what we’re seeing, is the completeness — If he plays with this confidence, that’s the best player in the league.”
Kevin Garnett campaigns for Victor Wembanyama to win the MVP after his strong opening game
Victor Wembanyama sent a strong message with his performance. He’s teased fans about it over the summer, hinting at a stronger and better version of himself. The one-time All-Star made the most of his free time, seeking advice from former NBA stars, including Kevin Garnett.
According to Wemby, he focused on working with Garnett in the emotional and mental aspects of the game. It paid off on Wednesday as he showed how focused and driven he was, helping his teammates win the game. Following his performance, the former NBA star campaigned for the Spurs star to win the MVP award this season.
“WemVP,” KG posted on X.
If Wemby keeps this up, there’s a chance for him to win the prestigious award.
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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.
