Within a minute, Victor Wembanyama made NBA history with the fastest triple-double of all time. Last night, in the victory against the Pistons, the Frenchman compiled 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in just 21 minutes. Only Russell Westbrook has been faster in history with a triple-double in 20 minutes against the Sixers in 2016. On the other hand, the Frenchman is the fastest and the youngest to achieve a triple-double without the slightest loss of ball !
“The most important thing is to win, of course” warns “Wemby”who recovered the match ball. “I didn't know that was the second-fastest triple-double in NBA history. Its important to me. I'm not one to talk for nothing. “That’s the kind of message we want to send as a collective, and that’s the kind of message I want to send personally.”
A role of “quarterback”
The message that the Spurs can win with eight players at 10 points or more, with Wembanyama in Jokic mode to attract two-man catches to better serve his teammates. And like Jokic, he did not hesitate to sign a “little point” on an assist for Tre Jones, or to make a quarterback pass for Jeremy Sochan.
“He did two to Tre that were crazy,” says Devin Vassell. “He threw one at me. I got open on the piack-and-roll, turned around, was wide open and ended up making a dunk. I thought to myself that this kid was crazy, that he was ridiculous… He has such an IQ and such a feel for the game. I feel like he's starting to master the game, and that's useful for all of us. »
If “Wemby” signs his first career triple-double, the second by a rookie in Spurs history, it is because Popovich asked his players to use him as a launching pad. Like Jokic.
Wembanyama very satisfied with this role
“He’s just a very good passer, and he already was before coming to us” recalls Gregg Popovich, who saved his “franchise player” more than ever. “As you could see, we used him a lot more tonight, and we put him at the center of our systems. We find out where he wants the ball, where he feels most comfortable. The other players learn to play around him. If they are moving, he finds them.”
A new strategy that appeals to the French. “Since the start of the season we have tried different things and today we managed to put everything together and make the right choices… It's wonderful when we play like this as a team, when we manage to put everything in place.”
