Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama put on a show in their first matchup against each other.
SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio failed to secure victory for Victor Wembanyama’s 20th birthday.
That didn’t stop the rookie from gifting fans at Frost Bank Center on Thursday with arguably his best all-around performance of the season in a late-game duel with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Wembanayama racked up 27 points with nine rebounds and five blocks in the Spurs’ 125-121 loss to a Milwaukee team propelled by 44 points and 14 rebounds from Antetokounmpo.
The clash featured multiple highlights from both players bordering absurdity.
“Every game is a statement from now on,” Wembanyama said.
The rookie sped off to an emphatic start on that mission against Antetokounmpo.
What They’re Saying: Wembanyama stuffed an Antetokounmpo driving dunk attempt with 24.1 seconds left and Milwaukee up 124-121. The jam would’ve put the game on ice in front of the sellout crowd of 19,082.
Yet the Spurs rookie found a way to keep the home team’s hopes alive.
“He plays the right way, plays to win,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I don’t know how tall he is. He’s not 7-3. He’s way taller than 7-3. Whoever says he’s 7-3, that’s a lie.
“The sky is the limit as long as you work hard, keep having a positive attitude. Everything he dreams of is going to happen for him.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo on matchup with Victor Wembanyama: 'He's unbelievable'
Wembanyama grew up in France watching and idolizing the Milwaukee two-time MVP. The duo took part in an entertaining back-and-forth battle down the stretch with Antetokounmpo outscoring Wembanyama 14-6 in the final frame.
The Bucks’ star shot 5-of-6 in the fourth.
“Yeah, [he’s] somebody I grew up watching and one of the greatest players in the world,” Wembanyama said. “It’s always extra motivation. I know I’m a competitor. So, I want to go at everyone and be the bad guy on the court. It was a great matchup.”
Viral moments: Wembanyama and Giannis provided plenty of those throughout the night, starting with the former’s alley-oop dunk to himself off the backboard in the second quarter.
That highlight came after an Antetokounmpo dunk.
“That was a fun game to coach, a fun game to watch,” said Bucks coach Adrian Griffin. “Two of the most unique, talented big men. I use that loosely because they are two very versatile players. I thought Wemby was great. I thought Giannis was phenomenal.”
Khris Middleton left impressed by Wembanyama’s courage, the youngster showing the moxie to fight toe-to-toe against one of the league’s all-time greats.
Wemby wowed in the third quarter, going behind-the-back for a coast-to-coast slam.
WEMBY GOES BEHIND-THE-BACK ON THE COAST-TO-COAST SLAM pic.twitter.com/blstNHmgdD
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 5, 2024
Antetokounmpo dropped the hammer minutes later in response.
“I love to see that from young guys,” Middleton said. “To be competing, not scared of the moment, not scared of taking the shot and making a move or making a pass or just taking a chance in a close game, especially late. He loves the challenge. That’s going to be big for him going forward.”
The numbers: In a thriller that featured nine lead changes and five ties in the fourth quarter alone, Wembanyama logged his fourth game with 20-plus points and four-plus rebounds in 26 minutes or fewer.
Keep in mind the French phenom remains on a minutes restriction due to suffering two ankle injuries dating back to December. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich mentioned the club plans an MRI on the injury “in the next week or so” to get the rookie back on a regular playing schedule.
As for Antetokounmpo, he’s now averaging 39.4 points per game this season on 63.9% shooting on the second night of back-to-back sets with 13 rebounds, and he’s playing an average of 37 minutes on no days rest.
Impressive.
“I think that’s what everybody wanted to see; a guy that has a lot of potential, a lot of talent coming up in this league and he’s playing well at this point against a multi-MVP player,” Middleton said.
“I don’t think the league has seen anything like that with two 7-footers or close to 7-footers that can do a little bit of everything go at each other.”
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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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