Victor Wembanyama, the 22-year-old All-Star, started his fourth NBA season with a career-worst 12 consecutive misfires, ending the night 1 for 13 from the field. That’s an 8% shooting performance, folks, and it was a career low for a player who just inked a $252 million contract extension over the summer. The San Antonio Spurs ultimately fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-104 on Tuesday, and Wembanyama’s frustration was palpable after a game where he barely recognized himself.
When Nothing Falls: A Rough Opening Night
It was ugly, plain and simple. Imagine being an All-Star, catching a lob from De’Aaron Fox, throwing down a dunk he could pull off in his sleep, and it’s your first field goal of the season, coming on your 13th shot attempt. That’s exactly what happened to Wembanyama. He didn’t even crack a smile. The kid usually dominates, but he was telling reporters, “I need to go back to playing the basketball I like. This is not the sport I like right here. I’ve got no reason to be hesitant, no reason to not be myself.” You gotta feel for him when he’s missing shots he usually drains, admitting, “I missed a lot of shots I usually don’t miss. But after that, I didn’t go back to these shots and I wasn’t decisive.” That kind of night just eats at a player.
A Flash in the Pan, or a Worrying Trend?
Now, before anyone hits the panic button, let’s look at the tape. This dud came out of nowhere. Just a year ago, Wembanyama kicked off his breakout 2025-26 campaign by absolutely torching Dallas for 40 points and 15 rebounds. And the Thunder? They usually haven’t been this kind of problem for him. Last season, in five regular-season matchups against OKC, he was averaging 18.4 points on a solid 52.4% from the field. He even leveled up in the playoffs, dropping 27.3 points per game on 48.1% shooting during a seven-game Western Conference finals showdown against these same guys. So, for him to go 1-for-13? That’s not the Vic we know, not even close. Teammate Stephon Castle isn’t sweating it, saying, “It was the first game of the season. We all know Vic will find his rhythm. That’s not something we’re really worried about.”
OKC’s Defensive Masterclass
Credit where credit’s due: the Thunder played Wembanyama tough. They came into Tuesday’s game with a clear plan to keep him guessing. Chet Holmgren, the 7-foot-1 forward, really bounced back from a rough showing in last season’s conference finals, giving Wemby one of his toughest defensive nights yet. OKC routinely crowded his driving lanes with extra defenders, with 7-foot center Isaiah Hartenstein often stationed near the rim as the last line of resistance. Even rookie Aday Mara, the 7-foot-3 Spaniard picked 12th overall in June to address the “Wembanyama problem,” had his moments. OKC coach Mark D summed it up perfectly: “We had the perfect balance of providing help, putting him in a crowd, discipline on the ball, but not hemorrhaging in other parts of the floor.” They executed their game plan, plain and simple.
Wembanyama gets his next shot at finding that rhythm Friday when the Spurs head to Austin for a neutral-site showdown against the Houston Rockets at the Moody Center. We’ll be watching to see if he can shake off this opening-night nightmare and get back to the player we all know he is.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply