Victor Wembanyama‘s Halloween costume wasn’t the only spooky thing in Utah on Thursday night.
Jazz fans will surely have nightmares after the Spurs big man stuffed the stat sheet for a second-career 5×5 performance in a 106-88 win. Wembanyama racked up 25 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five steals and five blocks while finishing the contest with a game-high plus-43.
The Frenchman is just the third player in NBA history to record multiple 5×5 games, joining Andrei Kirilenko (three) and Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon (six). It’s an even more impressive feat for the former first overall pick in 2023 when considering that only 17 players in league history have accomplished the feat and he’s now done it twice in his first two seasons.
Wembanyama’s first 5×5 performance happened last year when he logged 27 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals and five blocks against the Los Angeles Lakers. It was the first 5×5 since centre Jusuf Nurkic did it while with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019.
It’s the sophomore’s latest feat of otherworldliness but unlikely his last, even though he’s been off to a slow start compared to the high bar he set in his rookie season.
Through four games this season Wembanyama is averaging 16.5 points, 11 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.8 blocks. A drop off from his 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks through 71 games in 2023-24 that earned him Rookie of the Year.
San Antonio (2-3) and the French phenom return to action on Saturday as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves.