Wemby leaves Shaq and Barkley stunned: “We’ve never seen anyone like him”

Victor Wembanyama keeps raising the bar for what seems possible on a basketball court. Against the Dallas Mavericks, the Frenchman delivered one of the most impressive performances in recent years, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a win with 52 points, 24 rebounds and 8 blocks.

Wemby set career highs in points and rebounds and joined an exclusive club: since blocks became an official stat, only Bob McAdoo in 1974 had recorded at least 50 points, 20 rebounds and 5 blocks in a game.

Those numbers left even two NBA legends, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, in awe.

Shaq, in particular, made no secret of his admiration for the Spurs star:

We’ve never seen a player like him do the things he can

Shaquille O’Neal

Charles Barkley’s reaction was even more entertaining. He was already practically speechless after a first half that defied belief.

Guys, I wish I could come up with something to sound smart. But just look at what he’s doing. It’s just ridiculous, really. I mean, it’s absolutely unbelievable

Charles Barkley

And it really is hard to find new words to describe Wembanyama.

What makes his performance special goes beyond the 52 points. It’s how he dominates both ends of the floor. On offense, he’s a go-to option who’s practically impossible to contain. On defense, his presence at the rim completely changes what opponents choose to do.

Eight blocks in a game with more than 50 points show better than any other stat how unusual his impact is. And to think Wembanyama is still early in his NBA career.