San Antonio Spurs' rookie center Wembanyama (19) made his NBA debut.
Wembanyama was in foul trouble in the first half of the 2023-24 season opening game held at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on the 26th (Korean time) and played at least 21 minutes among the starting five, scoring 15 points. He allowed five turnovers to go with 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot in 23 minutes. He had 15 points on three 3-pointers among his six shots. All three shots in the paint zone failed.
It was a regional rivalry game with the Dallas Mavericks, and interest was so high that ESPN broadcast it nationally due to Wembanya Ma's debut game. French-born Wembanyama was selected first overall in the draft this June and is considered a prospect who will make Spurs a competitive team.
He succeeded in making a soft landing in the preseason, but in the first game of the regular season, he spent more time on the bench than on the court due to foul trouble. However, he took consolation by demonstrating his clutch shooting ability, scoring 9 out of 15 points at the end of the fourth quarter.
In the game, the Spurs committed consecutive turnovers with about 오피스타 a minute left in the game, and backcourt shooters Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic made consecutive 3-point shots, giving the Mavericks a 126-119 win. Both teams failed to advance to the playoffs last season.
San Antonio Spurs fans stand in a long line outside Frostbank Park on the 26th to watch the debut of draft pick Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio (Texas)|Yonhap News
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd faced two point guards, Irving and Doncic. Irving was traded midway through last season, but the chemistry with Doncic did not go well. In the away opening game, Doncic led the team to victory with a triple-double of 33 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Irving scored 22 points and created 55 points in the backcourt alone.
Spurs' starting five succeeded in scoring in double digits, but suffered read more a bitter loss in the opening game by allowing a last-minute error and a three-point shot. Their field goal success rate was 51.7%-47.5%, but they were behind 15-11 in 3-point shots, unable to capitalize on their home court advantage, and lost by 7 points.