San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama was getting a lot of attention in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Wembanyama had a first quarter that will leave the Hollywood stars in attendance, along with other fans, talking for a long time to come.
In just eight minutes of action against the Lakers, who were without LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and Austin Reaves, Wembanyama scored 25 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and grabbed three rebounds. It left some people wondering if he might be gunning for the NBA’s all-time scoring record for a player in one game.
NBA World Reacts to Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama First-Quarter Effort
After watching Wembanyama just put on a dominating effort all alone, Law Murray of The Athletic pondered in a post on X if Wembanyama might end up reaching late Lakers legend Wilt Chamberlain’s record.
Wemby is trying to Wilt the Lakers
— Law Murray 🏴☠️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) February 11, 2026
“Wemby is trying to Wilt the Lakers”, Murray wrote. In case you don’t know, Chamberlain, who was playing for the Philadelphia Warriors at this time, on March 2, 1962, scored 100 points in a single game. That’s the record all NBA players are trying to beat. Who’s No. 2 on the list? None other than another late Lakers legend, Kobe Bryant.
On Jan. 22, 2006, Bryant scored 81 points. Chamberlain also owns the No. 3 spot, too, with a 78-point single-game effort on Dec. 8, 1961.
Longtime NBA writer and Senior Writer Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated has his own thoughts after watching Wembanyama light up the scoreboard all by himself: “If you created a player in 2k you couldn’t make him as good as Victor Wembanyama.”
If you created a player in 2k you couldn’t make him as good as Victor Wembanyama.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) February 11, 2026
Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT, who is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and an NBA & NFL Injury Insider and host of The Hoops Rehab Show, managed to find a photo and post it on X of Chamberlain holding up a sign after his record-setting game.
Victor Wembanyama might break Wilt’s record tonight 👀 pic.twitter.com/yA7u5uu4bi
— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) February 11, 2026
Spurs Report editor Dusty Garza also thought that Wembanyama’s first-quarter highlight reel was something to behold. Garza posted on X, “25 points in 8 minutes?! In LA?!You can’t help but wonder if Victor Wembanyama is eyeing David Robinson’s iconic 71-point game vs the Clippers. Still a ton of time left… buckle up.”
25 points in 8 minutes?! In LA?!You can’t help but wonder if Victor Wembanyama is eyeing David Robinson’s iconic 71-point game vs the Clippers. Still a ton of time left… buckle up. 🏀👀 pic.twitter.com/c38gdyLcC5
— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) February 11, 2026
Tim Cato, who writes about the NBA for all city, posted on X himself, “wemby’s first quarter was the most terrifying thing i’ve ever seen. that’s what happens when the apex predator realizes there’s no one atop the pyramid but him.”
Tony Jones, who covers the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA for The Athletic, was watching and posted on X, “The thing I like most about Wemby is that dude is a killer….. Ralph Sampson was similarly talented but he was the nicest dude on Earth. Wemby is trying to destroy you for 48 minutes. It’s one of his best qualities.”
Midway through the third quarter, Wembanyama had 40 total points as the Spurs held a comfortable 115-76 lead. It looks like Wilt the Stilt’s record is safe, at least for one night, unless Wembanyama totally goes wild and crazy in the rest of Tuesday night’s game.
