Spurs Victor Wembanyama Overwhelms Wizards In Historic 50-Point Performance

San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama took yet another step forward Wednesday night, scoring a career-high 50 points to completely overwhelm the Washington Wizards in a 139-130 victory. He is the fourth youngest player in NBA history to hit the 50-point mark. It was also the fastest 50-point game in NBA history, requiring only 26 minutes on the floor.

The reigning Rookie of the Year has been inconsistent this season, but the Wizards had no answer for him in a highly encouraging performance. Talking to reporters after the game, Wembanyama downplayed the milestone. He wants this to be one of many.

“My first thought is eventually I want the rest of our performances, the rest of our games, to overshadow this one,” Wembanyama said. “I want to make it where in the future, [this is] just another one.”

Wembanyama was the focal point for San Antonio all night, as the team obviously planned to feature him prominently and force the lowly Wizards to come up with a plan to stop him. The closest Washington ever came to responding was by delivering points on their end. Jordan Poole exploded for 42 points and kept his team in the game, but the Wizards’ defense faltered at every turn. Spurs veteran point guard Chris Paul racked up 11 assists, feeding Wembanyama with devastating efficiency. 

Several teams this year have found a way to stop Wembanyama, most notably the Thunder, who held him to six points on five attempts in a game on Oct. 30. In the past week, however, Wembanyama has found his footing, especially from beyond the perimeter. In his last three games combined, he has shot with 57.7% accuracy from three-point range, a mark he did not reach in any single game before this stretch.

The Spurs are still building a team around Wembanyama, and though the likes of Paul, Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell have improved matters, San Antonio still isn’t considered a serious contender in the Western Conference. The team has come a long way already, however, and is far from disgraced, with a 6-6 record to begin the 2024-25 season.

Article by Patrick Moquin