Wemby's Unstoppable Rise: Rookie Smashes Double-Double Record!

Published 1 hour ago3 minute read
Uche Emeka
Uche Emeka
Wemby's Unstoppable Rise: Rookie Smashes Double-Double Record!

Victor Wembanyama delivered a monumental performance for the San Antonio Spurs, achieving a season-high 41 points and 16 rebounds, leading his team to a 129-114 victory over the Chicago Bulls. This win marked the Spurs' ninth consecutive triumph. Wembanyama's exceptional start included securing a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in just 8 minutes and 31 seconds on the court, making it the third-fastest double-double recorded in the play-by-play era since 1997-98, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He trails only Boban Marjanovic (8:13) in 2017 and Jonas Valanciunas (8:08) in 2025 in this rare feat.

The French phenom punctuated his dominant night with a forceful one-handed dunk midway through the fourth quarter. He shot an impressive 17-for-27 from the field, including 3-for-6 on 3-pointers, marking his 14th game this season with at least 30 points. His 27 shot attempts were also a personal season high, a strategic decision Wembanyama stated was intentional. He emphasized the importance of elevating his offensive game without compromising his defensive efforts, noting, "Felt like I needed my offense to get back to a certain level, but that shouldn't be at the cost of a defense either."

Stephon Castle, the second-year point guard, also played a pivotal role for San Antonio, contributing 21 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds. Wembanyama praised his growing chemistry with Castle, particularly in executing lob plays, highlighting their understanding and synchronization on the court. He explained, "We've had the chance to spend lots of minutes on the court together, and he understands me very well. That's not just randomly, we're just in sync. We get along together because he, as the ball handler, is actively trying to get the best shot for the team, and me, as the roller, I'm trying to make sure every time he throws it up high enough."

For the Chicago Bulls, Tre Jones, playing his first game in San Antonio since his trade to Chicago, led his team with 23 points. Leonard Miller added 21 points, and Collin Sexton scored 20, but their efforts were insufficient to prevent the Bulls from suffering their fourth consecutive loss. The Spurs extended their lead to 29 points in the third quarter, showcasing their command of the game.

The Bulls entered the game amidst internal news, having waived Jaden Ivey two hours prior for "conduct detrimental to the team." Ivey, who is currently injured, did not accompany the team on their four-game road trip. Despite this, Chicago initially showed resilience, with Matas Buzelis scoring an uncontested one-handed slam to give the Bulls a 5-2 lead early in the game, prompting an angry timeout from Spurs coach Mitch Johnson just 71 seconds in. However, San Antonio quickly regrouped, responding with a 20-13 run, largely ignited by Wembanyama's early double-double heroics, setting the tone for their dominant performance.

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