Wembanyama has NBA legends in awe: “He’s from another planet”
NBA legends like Magic Johnson, Manu Ginobili and Kevin Garnett were left speechless after Victor Wembanyama’s 41-point, 24-rebound double-double performance
The Western Conference Finals opened with one of those games destined to become part of NBA history. In a wild Game 1 that wasn’t decided until double overtime, the San Antonio Spurs stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road with a 122-115 win.
The unquestioned star of the night was Victor Wembanyama, who delivered the best game of his young career: a monstrous double-double with 41 points and 24 rebounds, along with 3 assists and 3 blocks while shooting 56% from the field.
The French star didn’t just dominate the glass – he completely took over late in the game, drilling the huge three-pointer that sent the matchup into overtime and leaving the entire basketball world in complete disbelief.
Breaking Kareem’s record: Magic Johnson left speechless
The impact of a performance like this immediately sparked reactions from some of the biggest legends in basketball history, starting with Magic Johnson. The former Lakers superstar shared his admiration on social media:
What a game, what a performance! Wembanyama put on an incredible show, even hitting a Steph Curry-type three in the biggest moment
Magic Johnson
Magic then delivered a warning to the rest of the league:
I hate to break this news to the rest of the Western Conference, but they may not have a chance to win the Finals for the next 5-7 years. OKC and San Antonio are simply too strong, too deep and built for the future
Magic Johnson
With this legendary outing, Wembanyama also became the youngest player in NBA history to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game (22 years, 134 days old), surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing record by 218 days.
Praise from NBA greats: from Howard to Ginobili
Compliments poured in from every generation of basketball stars. Dwight Howard crowned the French phenom without hesitation:
Wemby just said: I’m the MVP
Dwight Howard
Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili, a Spurs icon, couldn’t hide his excitement as a fan:
What a game! These two teams are incredible, entertaining and exhausting to watch. This guy is truly from another planet
Manu Ginobili
Equally meaningful was the reaction from Kevin Garnett, who worked with Wembanyama earlier in the season and wanted to highlight his development both mentally and technically:
At the beginning of the year, that clutch shot would’ve been a forced mid-range jumper. The kid is growing right before our eyes!
Kevin Garnett
The 122-115 road victory immediately gives the Spurs both a psychological and tactical edge in the series. Game 2, scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, will force the defending champion Thunder into an immediate response on their home floor to avoid heading to Texas down 0-2.
Game 2 already feels like a major turning point. The spotlight now shifts to coach Mark Daigneault and the Thunder staff, who will need immediate adjustments to slow down a player who has already shown he can destroy any game plan.
For Wembanyama, meanwhile, the next challenge is the classic maturity test: proving that a performance of this magnitude was not a one-night explosion, but the beginning of something much bigger.