3 seismic observations from Victor Wembanyama's comeback performance

Victor Wembanyama got his first taste of real NBA action tonight in the Spurs' first preseason matchup against the Guangzhou Loong-Lions, and it was spectacular to watch. It wasn't perfect. The 2023 number one overall draft pick had six turnovers, but the good far outweighed the bad, and San Antonio went into halftime with a massive 74-45 lead.

Vic didn't play in the second half, which is normal for preseason games. None of the starters played after the halves turned. The Alien finished with nine points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks. Had he played the entire game, he would have easily notched a triple-double.

After eight months without Wemby in a Silver and Black uniform. Seeing him out there again was both cathartic and hilarious. It's always funny to watch the future face of the league reject shot attempts with the relative ease he does it with. But there were other noticeable things about his game tonight that deserve acknowledgment.

Wemby played with patience and didn't hunt three-pointers

Wemby got into the paint tonight either before the ball was delivered or with his handle. Last year, he had a habit of jacking up quick threes. It seemed as if he was quick to take them just because he knew he could get them off, but they weren't always good shots. He played with more poise tonight, making an effort to dictate to the defense and make them work. That's a huge improvement.

Wembanyama's passing was a sign of maturity

Vic can get his shot whenever he wants, not just because he's tall, but because he's the star of the team. It takes maturity to understand that and work on getting your guys going, too. He's always been unselfish, so that's not the problem. But he played with a more concerted effort to instill confidence in his guys by passing up good shots he could have taken to get his teammates great shots.

Those acts add up to build a strong team with a bunch of players who can hurt the opposing team because they all believe. It's the kind of show of leadership the Spurs will need from their superstar to help this team reach its peak.

The Wemby/Kornet pairing is going to work wonders

I wasn't sure if we'd see this duo on the floor at the same time tonight without Kelly Olynyk in the lineup, but I'm sure glad we did. Mitch Johnson deployed it early tonight, putting Kornet on the floor with Wembanyama in the first quarter. It tells us that they really want that pairing to be a big weapon in their kit.

The Loong-Lions saw just how dangerous that weapon was tonight. Kornet scored 16 points on 6/6 shooting. Many of his buckets were dunks, and a few of them came off two-man actions between him and the taller half of Area 51. He didn't finish with any blocks, but he made a huge difference on defense. You could just feel his presence, and having a capable big over seven feet tall, not named Wembanyama, will be huge.

Vic is still the tallest player on the Spurs, but not by much anymore, and that's going to be an issue for opposing teams. Wembanyama knew exactly how to get him the ball, too. Keep in mind, it's the preseason and the Loong-Lions are not an NBA team, but it was a great start for the guys. The Heat will be their next test on Wednesday night.