Five days after scoring 52, the Spurs star found another way to amaze. He did it in barely half a game, sitting most of the fourth quarter of a lopsided win.
Victor Wembanyama scored 40 points with 11 rebounds and nine blocks in just 25 minutes as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Phoenix Suns 122 to 96 on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, for their ninth straight win.
How rare were Wembanyama’s 40 points?
Wembanyama became just the second player since the NBA began tracking minutes in the 1951 to 1952 season to score at least 40 points in fewer than 26 minutes. The only other was Sleepy Floyd, who scored 40 in 24 minutes in 1991.
He scored 14 points in the first quarter and 22 by halftime, hitting shots from beyond the arc, pullup jumpers and dunks while blocking shots with ease on his way to 40 points.
After his 40 points, Wembanyama said it feels like he is where he wants to be.
What was the play everyone was talking about?
Early in the fourth quarter, the center, who stands 7 feet 4, brought the ball up the court, crossed over rookie Khaman Maluach several times, dribbled between his legs and behind his back and glided past him for an easy layup.
It was only one of many remarkable moments on a night filled with them. Even opponents could only admire the move.
What did the Suns say about Victor Wembanyama?
The Suns coach said his team had a plan for Wembanyama but that it did not work. He said Wembanyama scores from all three levels and that teammates simply throw the ball near the top of the backboard for dunks whenever he gets a switch, calling it deflating. Wembanyama still finished with 40 points despite the plan.
Devin Booker led Phoenix with 32 points. The Suns star said Victor Wembanyama is something the league has never seen, praising his ballhandling and instincts and noting that he blocks or changes shots constantly. Booker has made the All-Star team five times.
How is Victor Wembanyama growing as a player?
Wembanyama, 22, has been a physical marvel since entering the league in 2023. Now he is becoming elite at the mental side of the game, making the right decisions again and again. His combination of size and skill has drawn comparisons to some of the greatest players ever.
He said, smiling, that he should save his most spectacular moves for the hardest situations. Opponents cannot really put him in a spot he cannot answer, he said, so his job now is not to beat himself.
The Spurs coach said Wembanyama is letting the game unfold naturally and putting himself in position to take advantage of opportunities, while teammates do a good job of using him. That growth has made the Spurs one of the hardest teams in the league to beat.
How good are the Spurs?
Wembanyama’s 40 points led a balanced attack as San Antonio improved to nine wins and two losses. Dylan Harper scored 14 of his 17 points in the third quarter, and De’Aaron Fox, Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes also contributed.
The win came five days after Wembanyama set career highs with 52 points and 24 rebounds against the Dallas Mavericks. In that game, he also blocked eight shots.
NBA general managers picked the Spurs as favorites to win the title before the season, and Wembanyama as the favorite for MVP. He has done little to change their minds.
With 40 points in only 25 minutes, Victor Wembanyama is making that MVP case look stronger by the week.
