When the Spurs visited the Bucks on Dec. 19, fans were robbed of the first potential meeting between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama, who was sidelined with an ankle injury. With the Bucks in San Antonio weeks later, the two phenoms made up for lost time and then some.
In one of the more entertaining games of the 2023-24 season, the Bucks escaped San Antonio's Frost Bank Center with a 125-121 win. Antetokounmpo impressed with 44 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and a block. Wembanyama dazzled with 27 points, nine rebounds, five blocks and an assist.
Impressive as Wembanyama's stat line is, it's even more so when you realize he did it on his 20th birthday while seeing just 26 minutes of action due to an ongoing restriction stemming from his ankle injury.
After the game, Antetokounmpo raved about Wembanyama.
"He's special," Antetokounmpo said. "He's going to be an extremely good player. He plays the right way. He plays to win … At the end of the day, we haven't seen anything like that. I haven't. I don't think you guys have seen it. So, the sky's the limit."
If the first meeting was any indicator, the sky is the limit for each future head-to-head between these one-of-a-kind talents.
MORE: Takeaways from the first NBA All-Star fan vote returns
Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Victor Wembanyama stats
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Victor Wembanyama | |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 40 | 26 |
| Points | 44 | 27 |
| Rebounds | 14 | 9 |
| Assists | 7 | 1 |
| Steals | 2 | 1 |
| Blocks | 1 | 5 |
| Field goals | 19-28 (67.9%) | 10-18 (55.6%) |
| 3-point field goals | 2-3 (66.7%) | 2-8 (25.0%) |
| Free throws | 4-6 (66.7%) | 5-6 (83.3%) |
| Turnovers | 1 | 5 |
WATCH: Follow the best NBA action all season long on Sling TV
Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Victor Wembanyama highlights
More than just the stat lines, Antetokounmpo and Wembanyama turned in countless highlights. Among the best was a sequence in which Antetokounmpo and Wembanyama traded dunks on consecutive possessions in the first half.
Giannis throws DOWN a slam and Wemby comes RIGHT back with a self alley-oop!😱
— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2024
📺 Bucks-Spurs on TNT pic.twitter.com/ItrOsbnwEQ
In the third quarter, it was Wembanyama who brought the San Antonio crowd to a roar by going behind his back into an and-one dunk over Brook Lopez.
You just need to see it to make sense of it.
When it was winning time, however, it was Antetokounmpo who stepped up in a major way for Milwaukee.
Giannis back-to-back triples late in the 4Q ‼️
— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2024
He's got 41 PTS as the Bucks lead 121-118 🔥
Bucks-Spurs on TNT pic.twitter.com/TAeU6liHrl
And still, Wembanyama found a way to do something not many are capable of.
With the game on the line, the 20-year-old met Antetokounmpo at the rim for his fifth and final block of the night to keep the door open for the Spurs, who were ultimately unable to tie things up on their final offensive possession.
And the above are just six of the highlights from an incredible matchup. The game itself had dozens more.
MORE: Victor Wembanyama's Defensive Player of the Year potential shown in two blocks
How tall is Victor Wembanyama?
Victor Wembanyama is 7-4, according to the NBA's official measurement.
"I've never seen anything like him — 7-4, 7-5. I don't know how tall he is — he's not 7-3, he's way taller than 7-3. So, whoever says he's 7-3 that's a lie," Antetokounmpo said of Wembanyama.
Given the fact that Antetokounmpo is listed as 6-11, his claim that Wembanyama could be even taller than believed holds plenty of validity. Whether or not Wembanyama is still physically growing remains to be seen but the 20-year-old is without a doubt still growing as a player.
That's a scary thought.
