PHOTO: Luka Doncic’s Teammate Kicked 7’4 Victor Wembanyama in The Face Amid Shambolic Debut Start Before Last Ditch Efforts Fall Short

Rookie Victor Wembanyama seems to have made quite the impression on the Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic. Doncic has admitted that he is a fan of the Spurs’ newest 7’4 addition. With the Mavs season opener against the San Antonio Spurs today, Luka got to see the biggest rookie sensation since LeBron James, play.

With Kyrie Irving on the Dallas Mavericks roster this season, the Mavs are looking to put themselves in the title contender race. And it seems to be working. The Mavs won in a 126-119 victory over the Spurs tonight. But what made the headline seem to be a shuffle with a Dallas teammate and Wembanyama.

Victor Wembanyama takes a foot to the face

The Mavs signed the defensive-minded 26-year-old Derrick Jones Jr. on a one-year guaranteed contract to provide hustle and energy on the court. It seemed to be a good idea, especially when you have to go against someone like Victor Wembanyama. Anyway, guarding the freakishly tall rookie, Derrick seems to have taken his duties a bit too seriously.

In the first half of the game, we can see Jones Jr. kicking Wembanyama in the face on his way down after a foul was called. Victor’s face shows his pain and the shock at the unexpected blow. Aside from the foot to the face, Wembanyama seems to have had a great game.

The initial minutes of the game saw the Spurs in the lead. Victor finished the game with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 23 minutes. But soon the tables turned. Irving and Doncic both combined for 55 points and Grant Williams added 17 more to get the team on top. So, the debut season for Victor might have been ruined, but he still made an impact. Especially when he managed to block Irving on a jump shot.

Luka Doncic is thoroughly smitten with Wembanyama

A European product himself, Luka seems to be in awe of the 19-year-old French player, Victor Wembanyama. The youngest MVP ever, his transition to the NBA was on a whole another level. Standing at 7’4 and with a wingspan of 8 feet, it’s not easy to get around the Spurs rookie.

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Luka Doncic though has a lot more to say about Wembanyama. Talking to MacMahon on ESPN, he says, “It’s pretty crazy what he does on the court …  it’s unbelievable the way he moves, the way he handles the ball, shoots the ball, and obviously the blocking… he’s an amazing player.” No doubt there at all. Wembanyama’s preseason averages are 19.3 points and 2.8 blocks in just 20.9 minutes per game. It’s clear that the hype wasn’t all in vain.

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As the Mavs coach Kidd himself said, Wembanyama is in a class of his own and if he had to compare him with anyone, it would be a close cut with Giannis. Well, it’s fair to assume that we can expect a lot more from this Giannis-like player in the near future. The kid is only 19 years old, after all.