Victor Wembanyama breaks a new precocity record against the Lakers and draws praise from LeBron James

French prodigy Victor Wembanyama had a full and spectacular match with the San Antonio Spurs on the floor of the Los Angeles Lakers, without however managing to win on Friday.

Two weeks before the Oscars, the carpets are red and the stars are shining in Los Angeles. Always good when it comes to seizing the moment, Victor Wembanyama made no mistake with his costume and delighted the audience at the former Staples Center (now Crypto.com arena). Despite another defeat for Spurs, the 46th of the season, the French giant shone by signing a five-by-five (at least 5 units in the five statistical areas): 27 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 interceptions and 5 blocks, in just 31 minutes on the floor. He becomes the youngest player in history to achieve this performance.

Before him, only 15 players, including Nicolas Batum (in 2012), had already achieved a five-by-five in the NBA. The last one dates back to January 1, 2019 and was the work of Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic. The Frenchman had already come close to this performance the day before in Sacramento, but had failed for a decisive pass. In Los Angeles, Victor Wembanyama struck from the start by scoring Spurs’ first eight points between rebounds, assists and interceptions. The Frenchman had 11 points after three minutes of play, 20 points at halftime. He continued to weigh in at the end of the match but could do nothing against the experience of the Lakers.

“This kid is special”

Lakers star LeBron James also showed off his offensive range with 30 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists. He especially praised the performance of the young French rookie after the match: “There are no limits for Wembanyama.” The King also tweeted: “This kid is special”.

“He’s progressing well, we’re skipping steps with him.” admitted Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. “He’s a great player to coach, he loves it, he takes criticism very well. We work on all the fundamentals, support, balance… Everything that beginner players need. He’s getting better every month in a lot of these aspects. You could see his aggression tonight, he was on the throw line because he went towards the circle instead of backing up or avoiding contact. He understands how to play.”he was satisfied.