It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a lot of people tuned in to witness Wembanyama make his debut in the NBA on Wednesday, but unfortunately, the San Antonio Spurs lost to the Dallas Mavericks by a score of 126-119. However, what is truly incredible is the number of people who witnessed the 7-foot-4 Frenchman in action.
According to the NBA, Wembanyama’s first game was the most-watched opening night game in the league’s history, with 2.99 million viewers tuning in. The following are some additional outstanding statistics regarding the game:
- This was the most-watched Mavericks-Spurs regular season game ever on ESPN (excluding games played during the Christmas holiday).
- The average number of people watching NBA League Pass in Wembanyama's home country of France increased by 220% compared to last year.
- Since the beginning of the preseason, the 214 million video views are the most of any player on the NBA's social media platforms.
On Wednesday night, Wembanyama struggled with picking up too many fouls, but he still completed the game with 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. He shot 6 for 9 from the field and 3 for 5 from beyond the arc. He did most of his damage late in the game, scoring nine points in the fourth quarter on four out of five shots.
Wembanyama’s career is just getting started, but he already looks like he will be successful. As he advances in his career, his one-of-a-kind play, in addition to his stature and length, will continue to attract onlookers. We will have to wait and see how many viewers tune in for the encore of the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick’s game against the Houston Rockets on Friday night before we know how many times they watch the game.
bus leo.
