Victor Wembanyama will be up against a superstar duo in his NBA debut.
We are just over two months away from the return of the NBA, as anticipation keeps building for basketball to be back. One of the biggest storylines of next year is Victor Wembanyama.
Wembanyama is coming into the league with generational hype, and Marc Stein has confirmed that he could be making his debut against the superstar-led Dallas Mavericks.
“Victor Wembanyama’s first official NBA game is tentatively slated for Oct. 25, league sources say, with Wembanyama’s Spurs due to play host to Dallas and Luka Dončić. The NBA’s full formal 2023-24 schedule release is expected next week.”
The NBA has set Wembanyama up for a marquee matchup against Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, with the two teams also being rivals. Given the Mavericks’ lack of size at the center position, this is a favorable matchup for the Spurs unless we see Dallas acquire a starting center before the offseason is over.
Victor Wembanyama Has A Chance To Dominate
As things stand, the Mavericks’ starting center will likely be one of three players. It’ll either be Dwight Powell, who struggled mightily in that role last season, or new acquisition Richaun Holmes, who played just 42 games and averaged 8.3 minutes per game for the Kings last season. Both players are also under seven-foot tall.
Wembanyama can dominate them with their size, but there is one option on the Mavs roster that could be used. That option is rookie Dereck Lively, who is 7’1″ and has an eight-foot wingspan. Wemby is also a rookie, so Lively and he could have a fascinating matchup. Either way, the big-man rotation in Dallas is weak, giving Wembanyama the perfect opportunity for a historic debut.
It’s unlikely that the Spurs have enough already to be considered favorites to win against the re-tooled Mavericks who have a top-5 player in the NBA with Doncic. But Wembanyama is being given a chance to make some big noise on his debut.
