The big night finally came, with Victor Wembanyama making his NBA debut in front of a rare, sold-out, eager crowd. While he looked jittery early and had an off shooting night, the defense is there, and he showed the NBA world why he will be an all-around player.
Of course, behind all the Wemby hype was an actual game against the Charlotte Hornets and second overall pick Brandon Miller. It wasn’t pretty or particularly fun game to watch, but while the Hornets generally generated more highlights, the Spurs had a Spurs-like game, quietly and comfortably leading by double digits almost the entire game, never letting any mini-runs get in their head, responding to every potential momentum-swinging play, and cruising their way to a 76-68 victory.