Victor Wembanyama showed up and stole Game 1 in front of the OKC Thunder fans. In a game where the Spurs dealt with the absence of De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, Wembanyama saved the day for the Spurs. After the game, his head coach offered high praise for the star's performance.  

In a double-overtime win, Wembanyama recorded 41 points along with 24 rebounds in 49 minutes while shooting 14 of 25 from the field. The Defensive Player of the Year also had three blocks in the win. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson was all praises for Wemby.

“I think that young man has a rare desire to step into every moment that's in front of him, and I think he has shown in his three years in a lot of different situations with a lot of different circumstances that he's going to attack those moments.”

The 7-ft-4 big man used his body to his maximum advantage, and the Thunder had no answer for him. He became only the seventh player in NBA history with a 40-point, 20-rebound game in conference finals or later part of postseason.

Johnson went on to compliment Wemby on his work ethic and the drive he brings to the court.

“He has some rare god-given ability. He puts in even more work in preparation and to try to maximize that, and his disposition and mentality and approach are reflected at times in the way he handles those moments.” 

The Spurs led the Thunder for most of the game, but the defending champions closed the gap late in the fourth quarter, sending the game into overtime. While the Thunder played their usual team game, Wembanyama countered every OKC run to secure the victory.

The Spurs are the only team that was expected to even challenge the Thunder after the conclusion of the regular season. Wemby’s team led this season’s matchup with a 4-1 record, including a win in the NBA Cup. 

Victor Wembanyama Refuses to Take The Best Player in the World Title

Right before the game, Adam Silver handed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the MVP award in front of Victor Wembanyama, who had finished 3rd in voting. It might have worked against the Thunder.

After the win, Wemby said that SGA getting the MVP award was a big motivation for him. 

On Monday, the Spurs’ big man played like the best player in the world. He dominated both ends of the floor throughout the contest. But Wemby wasn’t ready to take the title yet, as he said after a reporter asked him if he felt like the best player in the world.

“Do I feel like it right now? I feel tired. But it’s not a question I’m wondering right now. We’ll see. The world is 8 billion people, so it’s 8 billion opinions.”

This is just the start of the series, and Victor knows it’s just the start of a long battle against the defending champion.

SGA has been struggling offensively since the Lakers series, and it has continued into the Western Conference Finals series. The Thunder will expect a big game from their star in Game 2. 

Do you believe that Wembanyama is the best player in the NBA after Game 1? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at the Air Jordan Chronicles!

Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Surjo Ray