Victor Wembanyama became the fourth-youngest player to score 50 points in an NBA game, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 139-130 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday at just 20 years old. The first overall pick of last year’s draft set a career high with 50 points in only 26 minutes of play, shooting 18 for 29, including eight three-pointers—also a personal best.
The Spurs center, whose previous high was 40 points, struggled to explain his remarkable performance. “I wish I could say I felt great or smooth during warm-ups, but in the NBA, we have games every other day. When we have difficulty warming up, or if we’re in pain, we just have to push through it,” he stated. “It’s really a matter of focusing every minute of the 48 minutes of a game.”
Wembanyama’s achievement marks the third consecutive game in which he has hit at least six three-pointers. The only players younger than him to score 50 points in a game are Brandon Jennings, LeBron James, and Devin Booker, all of whom were also 20 years old.
The Spurs won again without head coach Gregg Popovich, who the team announced had suffered a mild stroke earlier this month but is expected to recover fully.
Wembanyama was not the only one to score over 50 points that night; Giannis Antetokounmpo netted 59 points, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a 127-120 overtime win against the Detroit Pistons. Giannis shot 21 of 34, contributing 14 rebounds and seven assists in this season’s highest scoring performance. “As a leader, I remind my teammates not to take moments for granted. No matter who plays, we fight to find ways to win,” he said.
In other news, the unbeaten Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to 13 games with a 114-106 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. This feat makes them the sixth team to start a season 13-0 and the first since the Golden State Warriors in the 2015-16 season. Darius Garland led the scoring for Cleveland with 25 points, while Donovan Mitchell added 23 points, along with nine assists and 13 rebounds.
In another matchup, Jayson Tatum recorded 36 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds as the reigning champion Boston Celtics convincingly defeated their opponents. After losing to Atlanta in the NBA Cup, the Celtics were down by two at the end of the first quarter but surged ahead to lead by five at halftime, dominating thereafter.
Jaylen Brown contributed with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Payton Pritchard added 23 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.