Victor Wembanyama is rewriting NBA history

Are we witnessing the greatest rookie campaign ever by the 20-year-old Frenchman?

While some of us might have taken the weekend off, Victor Wembanyama certainly didn’t! The rookie posted an astonishing 72 points, 29 rebounds, 12 assists, six steals, and four blocks combined over the weekend. On Friday, he made history by becoming the first player ever in the steal/block era to record a 5×5 game and a 40-20 game.

But the history-making didn’t end there. On Sunday night, he continued to rewrite the record books by becoming the first player ever in the steal/block era to reach or exceed these incredible numbers.

It’s worth noting that these achievements aren’t just rookie records; they include all NBA players in the last 50 years, and Wembanyama stands alone in this remarkable feat. Despite facing some of the most pressure of any rookie in the last two decades, he has not only met but exceeded expectations.

Despite the lack of team success, Victor might be having the best rookie season of all time. He’s receiving praise from current and former players alike, with many acknowledging how formidable he will be in the future.

Kevin Garnett posted a clip before Wembanyama’s back-to-back dominant games over the weekend. And while he’s right about one thing—that we are witnessing perhaps the worst version of Vic—we can only imagine what the future holds. At this point, it’s all mere speculation based on this year’s sample size. But one thing is for sure: it’ll be a fun ride!

Perhaps my favorite moment of the night occurred at the final buzzer when Wemby threw the ball into the crowd in celebration. It was a funny moment because the Knicks were eager to retrieve the ball for Jalen Brunson, who had just dropped a career-high 61 points.

Despite the comedic value, the NBA fined the rookie for the first time! But I’d say it was worth every penny.

Now, let’s talk about his incredible blocking ability. Wemby recovers better than most players, but one underrated aspect of his game might be his ability to run the court. When the rookie is sprinting down the court on the fastbreak like this, he’s practically unstoppable.

It’s safe to say the rookie is on track to win his third consecutive Rookie of the Month award with his impressive numbers in March.

But the accolades might not stop there. Wemby is neck-and-neck with Luka Doncic in terms of stats for the Player of the Week award. Given his outstanding weekend performance, I’m hopeful the Frenchman has done enough to secure the award!

t begs the question: should Wembanyama be a shoo-in for the Defensive Player of the Year award?