Victor Wembanyama is quickly establishing himself amongst the game’s top-tier talent, and even among several former elite NBA legends who played basketball years before Wemby started.
On Wednesday night, the 22-year-old Frenchman and his San Antonio Spurs battled the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Reaching that stage of the NBA Playoffs drew quick praise for the Spurs’ big man, due to this being only his third season in the league.
Wemby hit 6 of 21 shots, including two 3s and 12 of 13 free throws in the game, finishing with 26 points. He also grabbed 12 rebounds and swatted away three Knicks’ shots, which has become standard for the 7-foot-4 superstar.
Unfortunately, his performance came in a 105-95 loss to a Knicks team on a hot streak, having won 12 straight games during their NBA Playoffs run.
Despite the Spurs losing in Wemby’s Game 1 debut, he recorded a historic stat line that only three previous basketball legends achieved in their NBA Finals debut before him.
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Rewind to 1975, when the legendary Elvin Hayes set foot in his first NBA Finals as a member of the then-Washington Bullets franchise. At 6-foot-9, he’s considered amongst the best power forwards in league history and showed it in his Game 1 debut, recording 29 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks in his debut, a 101-95 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Over 10 years later, Hakeem Olajuwon got his first crack at winning an NBA championship in his second season in the league against Larry Bird and the dynastic Boston Celtics. Despite Olajuwon’s 33 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks, the Houston Rockets lost Game 1, 112-110, to start the series.
The 1995 NBA Finals featured another young, dominant big man, Shaquille O’Neal, as he and the Orlando Magic battled Olajuwon’s Rockets. Game 1 was Shaq’s Finals debut, and he put up 26 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and blocked three shots in a disappointing 120-118 loss.
Shaquille O’Neal Calls Out Victor Wembanyama After Spurs Lose Game 1
Per ESPN, Wembanyama joined only these players with a stat line of at least 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks in his NBA Finals debut. He now has a chance to do what all three of them couldn’t: win in their NBA Finals debuts.
Hayes and the Bullets lost in four games to the Golden State Warriors, while Olajuwon’s first Rockets team lost 4-2 to the Celtics. Shaq’s Magic were swept 4-0 in their first appearance against Olajuwon’s Rockets.
The good news for Wembanyama is that each of those three players went on to win at least one championship, with Hayes winning one, Olajuwon two, and Shaq four before their basketball-playing days were over.
They’re also Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame members after legendary careers, and many believe Wemby will be the next to achieve that. Don’t be surprised if he’s able to put his name in an elite conversation with an NBA Finals win in his debut.
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For more about Victor Wembanyama and the NBA, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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