Victor Wembanyama returns with 40-point showing in Spurs' win - ESPN

DALLAS — Victor Wembanyama stood next to Julian Champagnie in front of the scorer's table at American Airlines Center, admiring his work.

His conclusion?

«That was niiiice.»

Minutes earlier, the Frenchman pump-faked, sending P.J. Washington skyward, then took one dribble toward the basket for a thunderous, reverse windmill dunk that rattled the miked-up rim, sending the San Antonio Spurs bench into a frenzy. Pacing a 125-92 stomping of the Dallas Mavericks, Wembanyama showed off Wednesday all that he gleaned from a transformative summer that changed him physically and mentally.

"[I was] much more in control of myself," Wembanyama said. «The mind, I'm not worried about [that] because I saw what it's like to be confronted with potentially losing a lot, whether it's your career or your health. So, I'm not taking this for granted anymore. The body? I'm having more fun now that I'm not struggling to move as much. I know I still need to get better, and I'm still going to get better.»

The blocks, dunks, shots, the refined footwork and post moves — not to mention the intuition to know how to best deploy them — belied the fact that Wembanyama hadn't played in an NBA game in 8 months, 11 days prior to the win over the Mavs. Residual rust was nonexistent as Wembanyama ran roughshod, becoming the first player since 1977-78 to score 40 points with 15 rebounds and 3 blocks with no turnovers while shooting 70% from the field.

Wembanyama's 40 points are the most for a player in a season opener in San Antonio franchise history.

«He's been out eight months,» Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. «So, you saw him take the moment and play spectacular. But honestly, the most impressive line [is] zero turnovers. The amount of fundamentally sound