Victor Wembanyama scores a career-high 50 points in Spurs’ win

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama scored a career-high 50 points – including eight 3-pointers – in a 139-130 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

“My first thought is that ultimately I want the rest of our performances, the rest of our games to overshadow this game,” Wembanyama said. “I want to make it there in the future, [this is] just one more.

Obviously it isn’t.

Before Wembanyama, Spurs’ last three 50-point games came in overtime. David Robinson recorded the franchise’s last 50-point regular season night in 1994.

At 20 years and 314 days, Wembanyama is the fourth youngest player to score 50 points. At 2.70 meters tall, he is also the tallest person to achieve this.

Wembanyama’s previous career high was 40 points in a 130-126 overtime win against the New York Knicks in March of last season.

He was a presence virtually from the start on Wednesday, assisting or making four consecutive field goals in the first 67 seconds to give San Antonio a 13-3 lead.

“The big guy, man, when he comes out with that attitude, it’s a tough chance to deal with,” Spurs forward Julian Champagnie said. “Big kudos to him, big kudos to him. He’s working on his game. I don’t know what he took personally, but he took something personal and went out and made a basket.”

Wembanyama did most of the damage in the third quarter, shooting a perfect 7 of 7 from the floor and 4 of 4 from distance for 19 points to go with four rebounds, an assist and a block. Wembanyama scored almost half of his points from distance on the night, where he scored 8 of 16 goals.

“If you looked at them, they were good rhythm shots,” Spurs interim coach Mitch Johnson said. “The gravity it takes on or attracts is unique. So if he sleeps away from the basket, he will definitely attract that gravity.”

Wembanyama was 18 of 29 from the field and added 6 rebounds and 3 blocks in 32 minutes, becoming the first player in league history with 20 3-pointers and 13 blocks over a three-game span.

In his career, Wembanyama has now recorded a 50-point game, a 5×5 game and a 10-block game. Only three other players – Anthony Davis, Hakeem Olajuwon and Robinson – can claim these successes since the bans became official in 1973-74.

It took Wembanyama 83 career games to post his first 50-point game, the fourth fewest he needed since the 1976-77 NBA/ABA merger.

After completing a quick workout in the weight room, Wembanyama headed into treatment and admitted he planned to reflect on his latest milestone during the session. Wembanyama also admitted to looking at the scoreboard at times as he approached the 50-point mark.

“I love celebrating the little victories and the big victories for a while,” he said. “But tomorrow we are already fixated on the Lakers. I’ll give myself a little time to think. It’s definitely a big milestone. It’s a kind of private club. I’m definitely proud of that.”

ESPN Research contributed to this report.