Sometimes you watch a basketball game and you're reminded that you're witnessing something truly special - a generational talent doing things that shouldn't be possible.
That was Victor Wembanyama on Monday night.
The San Antonio Spurs phenom dropped 33 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals against the Utah Jazz. Oh, and he did it in just 26 minutes because the game was so out of hand he didn't need to play in the fourth quarter.
Let me break down these numbers for you, because they're absolutely ridiculous:
- 10-of-18 shooting from the field (56%) - 7-of-12 from three-point range (58%) - Perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line - Final score: Spurs 123, Jazz 110
Folks, this is a 7-foot-4 center shooting 58% from three. Let that sink in.
I've been covering basketball for 20 years, and I've never seen anything like Wembanyama. We've had great big men - Shaq, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon. We've had stretch bigs who could shoot - Dirk Nowitzki, Karl-Anthony Towns. But we've never had someone who combines size, skill, and versatility like this kid.
Wembanyama isn't just redefining the center position - he's redefining what's possible for someone his size. Seven three-pointers in a game? While also protecting the rim? While grabbing double-digit rebounds? That's video game stuff.
The scary part? He's only in his second season.
San Antonio went through a painful rebuild after the Tim Duncan era ended. They suffered through losing seasons, watched other teams compete for championships, and trusted the process. According to ESPN, Wembanyama led the Spurs to a dominant victory that barely required him to break a sweat in the fourth quarter.
That patience is paying off now. The Spurs didn't just get a franchise player in Wembanyama - they got a once-in-a-generation talent who's going to define the next decade of basketball.
Coach Gregg Popovich has seen it all - five championships, Hall of Fame players, dynasty runs. And even he has to be marveling at what Wembanyama is doing night after night.
33 points in 26 minutes isn't just efficient. It's dominant. It's the kind of performance that reminds you why you fell in love with basketball in the first place.
The Spurs are back, folks. And this kid is just getting started.
That's what sports is all about, folks.
