Wemby’s First All-Star Game Double-Double as a Starter: “I Have Other Priorities”
Just hours after being named an NBA All-Star Game starter for the first time, Victor Wembanyama dominates Utah with 33 points and leads the Spurs to their third straight win
In his first game after being named a starter in the NBA All-Star Game – the first such honor of his career – Victor Wembanyama responded with a dominant performance: 33 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals in under 27 minutes, as the San Antonio Spurs cruised to a 123-110 win over the Utah Jazz.
The game was decided early, especially from beyond the arc. Wembanyama drilled three triples in the first six minutes, five in the first half alone, and finished the night with seven total. By halftime, he had already piled up 21 points and 7 rebounds, clearly the decisive factor in a win that gave the Spurs their third consecutive victory.
Numbers that the Spurs’ big man put up on the wave of excitement surrounding his first-ever All-Star Game starter selection.
No, not at all. I have many other responsibilities with my team, so I wasn’t thinking about it at all.
Victor Wembanyama
The context makes the performance even more meaningful. His election as a starter came at the end of a tight race for the final available spot among Western Conference players. Anthony Edwards received more votes from players, while Wembanyama won over the media. The deciding factor was the fan vote, which rewarded the French star by a razor-thin margin of 4,505 votes.
Details that could have added pressure or extra motivation. But Wembanyama shut down any emotional narrative right away. His priorities, he explained, remain with the team – nothing else.
And that may be the most interesting part. Wembanyama continues to produce eye-popping numbers (24.5 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3 assists per game) with disarming ease, never giving the impression that he’s playing to prove a point. Being an All-Star starter – in a year when the event features a new format with Team USA vs. Team World – is an important recognition, but for him it feels like just another step. The journey in San Antonio has only just begun.