LAS VEGAS -- Victor Wembanyama's debut was one of the most anticipated in the history of the Las Vegas Summer League. Fans began lining up at 8 a.m. outside of Thomas & Mack Arena, braving the 100-degree heat for four hours before the doors opened in an attempt to lock up a good seat. From there, it was another six hours of waiting in their seats until the main attraction stepped on the court.
Scalpers hovered around the entrance, charging $150 to get in for those who lacked the foresight to purchase tickets to the sold-out event days in advance. The Nets and Cavs played next door in a mostly-empty gym, while only the nosebleed seats were available to watch the Spurs take on the Hornets.
The Nets/Cavs gym vs. the Wemby gym. pic.twitter.com/Z97eFmrwJN
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) July 8, 2023
Everyone was there to see Wembanyama. NBA general managers, former greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and superstars Trae Young and DeMar DeRozan rubbed shoulders courtside. Fans packed the stairwells of the arena, craning for a better view before being shooed away by security.
Ultimately, the wait may not have been worth it.
MORE: Breaking down Victor Wembanyama's Summer League debut
Wembanyama did have his moments defensively, flying around the court. He dazzled by blocking No. 2 pick Brandon Miller's 3-point attempt in the second quarter, one of his five on the night.
But Wembanyama's 2-for-13 shooting showed that it may still take some time before he starts dominating. He airballed a 3 and struggled with his positioning all night, looking like he needed to add strength to get to his spots effectively.
Some of the loudest cheers from the night came from Kai Jones throwing down an alley-oop over him.
KAI JONES HAS OTHERWORLDLY BOUNCE 🤯#NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN pic.twitter.com/p1Ij0INwkc
— NBA (@NBA) July 8, 2023
"Honestly, I didn't really know what I was doing on the court tonight," Wembanyama said after the game, acknowledging his uneven play. "But I'm going to learn for the next games, and the important thing is to be ready for the season."
Despite the rough shooting night, Wembanyama did show flashes of what made him such a generational prospect. The 7-foot-3 big man brought it up the floor on a handful of possessions, flipping a one-handed pass through traffic to set up an easy score. Minutes later, he received a ball off a handoff, dribbled between his legs, crossed over, and set up another layup.
Those good plays were balanced out by some sloppy ballhandling and drives into traffic that resulted in three turnovers.
Wembanyama's first Summer League game will go down as mostly a dud. By the end of the game, the once-empty side gym was filled with fans who chose to watch the Nets and Cavs over watching his second half.
Wembanyama is better than he showed in his first game. He will have a chance to redeem himself on Sunday night against the Blazers, and everyone will still be watching.