Wembanyama’s 52-point game sparks Wilt Chamberlain comparisons

Victor Wembanyama drew Wilt Chamberlain comparisons after a 52-point, 24-rebound, 8-block performance that dominated the Dallas Mavericks 112-111 at Frost Bank Center.

The San Antonio Spurs center finished with 52 points, 24 rebounds, eight blocks, two assists and two steals with just one turnover.

He shot 16-of-28 from the field and 19-of-23 from the free-throw line, including the game-winning free throw.

It was the first stat line of its kind in the NBA since Bob McAdoo in 1974.

Wembanyama's teammate Dylan Harper did not hold back after the win.

“He basically Wilt,” Harper said.

The comparison refers to Wilt Chamberlain, who once scored 100 points in a game and averaged 50.4 points per game for an entire season in 1961-62.

Chamberlain also owns the NBA record for most rebounds in a game with 55.

Wembanyama's performance pushed the Spurs to a 6-2 record.

The night featured multiple historic performances across the league.

Nikola Jokic recorded a 30-point triple-double, his 90th in just three quarters, setting an all-time record.

Luka Doncic poured in another 40-point outing to surpass Michael Jordan for the best scoring start to a season.

Klay Thompson turned back the clock with 30 points, eight threes and a game-winner.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again went over 40 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

None of them managed to steal the night from Wembanyama.

The matchup drew extra attention because the floor was shared by Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg, the young star many project to challenge the Frenchman one day as the league's future face.

Flagg, the first overall pick in 2025 and the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year, experienced a sharp reality check.

He finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and just one turnover.

But he shot a rough 7-of-19 from the field and 0-of-3 from deep after starting the game 1-of-11.

Wembanyama struggled from beyond the arc as well, hitting just 1-of-8 from deep.

In every other facet of the game, he dominated Flagg in Wilt-like fashion.

Wembanyama blocked Flagg twice in the first quarter — on an 11-foot pullup on Dallas' second possession and a transition layup with 1:28 left.

He blocked Flagg again on an 8-foot floater with 3:51 left in the second quarter.

Flagg had just 4 points at halftime.

His 2 first-quarter points both came at the free-throw line.

The 19-year-old scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting after halftime.

Flagg was plus-18 in the second half.

He was the only Mavericks starter with a positive plus-minus for the game, at plus-2.

Flagg had 4 rebounds and no assists in the first half, then 6 rebounds and 5 assists in 22:53 after the break.

He went 3-of-5 at the free-throw line after halftime.

“I thought the same thing in the first half,” Mavericks coach Dusty May said.

“I thought he was making shots that he had made all year up to that point, and they just weren't dropping for him.”

May added: “But I thought he just got lost in rebounding, and I thought he made great passes.

I thought he played really well in just a really good floor game in the second half.”

In the third quarter, Flagg scored 7 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including a transition dunk off a Kyrie Irving pass.

He added 8 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in the fourth.

With 6:05 left, Flagg finished an alley-oop from Caleb Martin and made the free throw to tie the game at 100.

His driving finger roll with 2:54 left cut San Antonio's lead to 107-106.

Flagg also set up both of Naji Marshall's biggest fourth-quarter shots — a three-pointer that cut the deficit to 94-92 with 8:17 left and another that tied the game at 111 with 1:41 left.

On the final possession, Dallas had Flagg cutting from the corner while Irving drove middle.