Rookie Victor Wembanyama Overshadows Shaquille O’Neal in an Elite Company
San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama recorded his name in the history books tonight. The Spurs are having one of their worst seasons in years. They are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 3-18 record. Amid this, the silver lining for the Spurs is that despite their losing record, they are using this season to develop the skills of their 19-year-old prodigy, Victor Wembanyama.
Amid the loss to the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio fans had something to cheer about. Their rookie Victor Wembanyama overshadowed Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal after his historic performance tonight.
Victor Wembanyama joins Shaquille O’Neal’s elite company
19-year-old Victor Wembanyama became the first rookie since Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal to post 21 points, 20 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a single game. Tonight was Wemby’s career-high in rebounds as he dominated his opponents on the board.
The rookie joined an elite company after his historic stat line against the Bulls. Wemby became the seventh rookie in NBA history to record a 20+ point, 20+ rebound, 4+ block and 4+ assist game. The last rookie to do that was Shaquille O’Neal. Big Diesel achieved this incredible feat in 1993 at the age of 20, playing for the Orlando Magic.
Wemby tonight:
21 PTS
20 REB
4 BLKThe first rookie to reach those numbers since Shaq. https://t.co/8K37fvqRJ3
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 9, 2023
Victor Wembanyama broke another record with his historic stat line tonight. And this time, he overtook Shaq’s arch-nemesis, Dwight Howard. Wemby broke Howard’s previously held record to become the youngest player in NBA history to post a 20-20 game.
The Spurs rookie set this new record at 19 years and 38 days old. Dwight Howard held this record for nearly two decades after he posted a 21-point, 20-rebound game as an Orlando Magic rookie in 2005. Howard was only 4 days older than Wemby when he set this record.
Can Victor Wembanyama match Shaq one more time?
Shaquille O’Neal is arguably the most dominant player in NBA history. Although Big Diesel reached his peak form when he played for the Lakers, he was a force to be reckoned with from the day he entered the league. Shaq made his first all-star team as a rookie at 20 years old.
That is a feat not many players in NBA history have achieved. Shaq averaged a monstrous 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks in his rookie season. With Victor Wembanyama breaking Shaq’s record as a rookie, the NBA world is wondering if Wemby can make his first all-star team as a rookie like Shaq.
Although Wembanyama’s rookie stats are not as dominant as Shaq’s, he has been the leader among rookies this season. The 19-year-old is averaging 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks this season.
The factor that can hurt his case for making the all-star team is that he plays on a losing team. The league is full of superstars, and it will be extremely difficult for Wembanyama to make his first all-star selection in his rookie season.
