SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama's debut was highly-anticipated and the television viewership numbers prove it.
Wembanyama's first regular season game versus Dallas averaged nearly three million viewers (2,989,000) according to ESPN. It peaked with 3,903,000 viewers at 10 p.m. ET. and is the most-watched season-opening ESPN late game since 2012.
Excluding Christmas Day, it is the most-watched Spurs or Mavericks regular season game ever ESPN noted.
And if that isn't enough to prove the "Wembey-effect' is real, according to the NBA, NBA League Pass viewership in France was up +220% versus last year's regular season average. The rookie also garnered 214 million video views making it the most of any player on NBA social media since the start of preseason, the league reported.
Despite the loss to Dallas, Wembanyama showed flashes of his immense potential.
He finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and two blocks but was saddled with foul trouble throughout the game.
“It’s a long season. We got other things to take care of. We’re already focused on the next game," he said following the loss to the Mavericks.
Overall, he showed all facets of his game from connecting on three-point shots, getting out on the fastbreak, his defensive prowess, speed, length and so much more.
The Spurs host the Rockets Friday night at the Frost Bank Center at 7:00 P.M. CT.
SPURS-CLIPPERS GAME BROADCAST CHANGE
The NBA announced that the Spurs-Clippers match scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 29 will now be broadcast on NBA TV.
The "Wemby-effect" is real!
Twitter: @KENS5, @JeffGSpursKENS5
