Well, so much for Victor Wembanyama’s slow shooting start to the season.
The reigning Rookie of the Year made just 14 3-pointers in his first nine games this season, connecting on only 22.6% of his attempts in that stretch while generating questions about how he was being used by a Spurs team still figuring out how to maximize its budding superstar. Those questions have now largely been answered in his last three games. On Saturday against the Jazz, Wembanyama made six of his nine attempts from deep for 24 points. On Monday against the Kings, he again made six 3-pointers, but this time on 12 attempts in an upset victory over Sacramento.
And on Wednesday? Wembanyama had the best overall scoring game of his career, and it once again came largely from behind the arc.
Wembanyama totaled 50 points in a 139-130 win over the Washington Wizards. Sure enough, Wembanyama’s 3-point shooting was once again the catalyst for his historic night. He went 18 of 29 from the field while making eight of his 16 tries from deep.
The explosion made history on a number of levels Wednesday. Wembanyama is now the fourth-youngest player ever to cross the 50-point threshold, behind Brandon Jennings, LeBron James and Devin Booker. As Jennings and Booker are guards and James is a forward, that also makes Wembanyama the youngest center to ever score 50 in NBA history.
On that front, it isn’t especially close. The next closest center, Shaquille O’Neal, was 22 years and 45 days old when he reached 50. Wembanyama is more than a year younger at 20 years and 314 days old.
He is also the first Spurs player ever to have 50 points and at least five made 3-pointers in a game, though this game amazingly does not represent a “Wembygami,” meaning a statistical line never before seen in NBA history. Luka Doncic has also reached 50 points, eight 3-pointers, six rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal in a single game. On that front, at least, Wembanyama will have to settle for joining a very exclusive club alongside another future Hall of Famer.
If he wants any more history out of Wednesday night, he can take solace in becoming the tallest player in NBA history ever to make eight 3-pointers in a game.
As impressive as the 50-piece is itself, the way he got there is what’s most important for the Spurs. We all knew Wembanyama would score 50 in a game eventually. His 3-point shooting early this season was starting to look like a real long-term problem. In the span of three games, he brought his season-long percentage up from 22.6% to 34.3%, just a bit below the league average of 36.6%.
It’s a tiny sample size on both fronts, but it’s proof of concept. Wembanyama may not be making 3-pointers consistently yet, but over the past three games we’ve gotten a glimpse of just how terrifying he can be when his jumpers are falling. Wednesday’s 50-point decimation of the Wizards was the culmination of that trend.
At his size, scoring near the basket is a given. If he can score away from it too, he’s going to be completely and utterly unstoppable.