Despite Bringing More Than 1,000,000 Viewers to Stephen A. Smith?s Employer, Victor Wembanyama?s NBA Summer League Presence Fails to Overshadow 2x All-Star?s Debut

The highly touted Frech prospect, Victor Wembanyama, made his debut on the NBA scene on the eighth of July, Friday night. With 17,500 tickets sold out by Wednesday, a full house witnessed Wemby play his first game in a San Antonio Spurs shirt. Apart from the lucky ones who saw him live at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, his debut game averaged a mind-boggling viewership of 1.39 million!

However, as per the latest reports, his debut stands at the second position in terms of viewership. Despite the staggering numbers, it has failed to overshadow a 2x NBA All-Star’s Summer League debut.

Victor Wembanyama’s highly anticipated debut falls short of the record

Having last won an NBA ring in 2014, the San Antonio Spurs harbored dreams of another championship run when they drafted Victor Wembanyama into their team this year. The 19-year-old generated immense hype around him, even earning the privilege of being compared to legendary NBA names.

However, his debut fell short of expectations. While he did not disappoint completely, Wemby failed to perform his best in his debut game.

Yet, streaming services laughed their way to their banks. While reporter Stephen A. Smith undoubtedly had a busy day, the owners at ESPN got the best out of Wembanyama’s presence.

But despite hitting the elusive million mark, it failed to beat the record set by Zion Williamson, who bought in the highest viewership for NBA’s summer league on ESPN. But what’s the record-setting number?

Zion Williamson bought in a total viewership of 1,641,000 during his Summer League debut in 2019, the highest in Summer League history.

When the New Orleans Pelicans picked Williamson as their #1 draft, many believed it marked the turning point for the team. Many envisioned him to be a dominant force on the court. The player was able to score 11 points in nine first-half minutes against the New York Knicks. Unfortunately, the crowd didn’t see him on the floor during the second half because of a knee-to-knee hit. To make matters worse, the game ended early on an eventful note because of an earthquake.

Read More: ?Might Be Steal of the Draft?: Looming Doubts on Victor Wembanyama, Turn Fans to 19YO Rookie After Bombing 59 Points

Victor Wembanyama may have disappointed a few fans during his first game. However, he redeemed himself during the second game.

Victor Wembanyama excels in Game-2

After a disappointing start, Victor Wembanyama bounced back during his second game, scoring a total of 27 points. He also managed to pull down 12 rebounds while blocking three shots.

He helped the Spurs to cut a 19-point deficit down to one, although they never took the lead. Even though they ended up losing, Wemby played significantly better than he did on his debut night.

Will we see more of the Frenchman’s magic in the upcoming season? Rest up, Wemby, the NBA awaits you!

Watch This Story | Jaw-dropping twist, 7?5 Victor Wembanyama steps into Yankee Stadium, leaves fans speechless