How Victor Wembanyama ‘Thoroughly Impressed’ Paul Pierce In Debut

Victor Wembanyama wasn’t off-the-charts in his first NBA game, but he nonetheless drew a rave review from Paul Pierce.

Wembanyama made his highly anticipated Spurs debut Wednesday night against the Mavericks at AT&T Center. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick collected five rebounds and put up 15 points, nine of which were scored in the fourth quarter when San Antonio flirted with a comeback win over Dallas.

Luka Doncic and company ultimately prevailed with a 126-119 win, but Wembanyama’s late-game showing offered a glimpse of what the uniquely talented rookie can be. Pierce loved what he saw from the French big man, specifically on the defensive end.

“I was thoroughly impressed from the minutes he gave me,” Pierce said Thursday on FS1’s “Undisputed.” “At the beginning, I was like, he’s going through some growing pains, foul trouble. He has to get used to the NBA refereeing and the physicality. But then, he had a Zion (Williamson)-like debut in the fourth quarter. …He looked like he was going to will his team to victory. He came in, knocked down some threes, blocked some shots.

“The defensive side of the ball, that’s where I was thoroughly impressed. He blocks Kyrie (Irving)’s shot from the wing and then makes threes effortlessly. This guy, in my opinion, can be the Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year all in the same year. He has that type of potential. You cannot score on this guy 1-on-1. He can guard one through five positions.”

Pierce pointed out how the 19-year-old still is very “wet behind the ears” and has a lot to learn about the NBA. Wednesday’s outing was a modest one from a production standpoint, but there also were times when Wembanyama offered reminders of why he was the most heralded NBA prospect since LeBron James.

The first-year phenom’s next opportunity to impress Pierce and others will be Friday when the Spurs host the Houston Rockets.