Grading Victor Wembanyama's preseason debut (and 3 other standout Spurs)

The San Antonio Spurs fell short in their preseason opener, losing 122-121 in a nail-biter as they succumbed to a furious second-half comeback from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Multiple household names like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Keldon Johnson, and Jeremy Sochan missed this matchup, but the game still had an extremely competitive atmosphere.

Hoops fans have been waiting for the highly-anticipated meeting between Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, and their first head-to-head had all the entertainment to live up to the billing. How did the rookie sensation perform in his unofficial professional debut? And which of his teammates stood out for the Silver and Black on Monday night?

Victor Wembanyama

The collective basketball community waited three months to see Victor Wembanyama back in action following his early exit from Las Vegas Summer League, and he more than lived up to expectations in his preseason debut. The French phenom finished the night with 20 points, five rebounds, two steals, and one block on 8-of-13 shooting in 19 minutes, showcasing a combination of impressive skills that made it a no-brainer for the Spurs to select him with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Wembanyama had numerous head-turning sequences, including a putback on a missed free throw, a sidestep three running around a dribble handoff, and an acrobatic layup under the outstretched arms of Chet Holmgren. The 19-year-old forward was also impactful on the opposite end, deterring would-be drivers with his imposing paint presence and providing punctual help defense by using every inch of his eight-foot wingspan to dislodge the ball with almost incomprehensible digs from the nail.

Grade: A

Zach Collins

There has been a ton of chatter about how the Spurs would station Zach Collins at center to make life easier for Wembanyama, and he played that role to perfection on Monday night. The spirited big man racked up 15 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block in his first minutes since San Antonio decided to rest him for their final two games of last season. He directed traffic on both ends, was sharp as a decision-maker, and looked well-conditioned during his 22 minutes on the court.

Collins set solid screens, created space for teammates on dribble handoffs, and gave ballhandlers a reliable target in the pick-and-roll. He exhibited patience when multiple defenders converged on him around the basket, leaning on fakes, footwork, and physicality to score or get to the free-throw line. Perhaps his most impressive showing came as a playmaker, where the seven-footer led cutters to the hoop with precise bounce passes and delivered pinpoint dimes to open three-point shooters.

Grade: B+

Tre Jones

Gregg Popovich said nothing was set in stone when reporters asked who would line up at point guard this season at media day last week. However, Tre Jones made a compelling case to hold onto his spot in the starting rotation during his preseason debut, recording 12 points, four boards, six assists, and a steal in 21 minutes. While he was far from a game-breaker, the 23-year-old floor general orchestrated a potent offense that torched Oklahoma City for a whopping 81 points in the first half.

The former second-rounder pushed the pace whenever the ball was in his hands, turning rebounds and made baskets into transition opportunities in the blink of an eye. He ignited fastbreaks with hit-ahead deliveries, found corner shooters with skip passes, and collapsed the defense with his quick first step. Jones demonstrated a newfound willingness to fire away from beyond the arc, embraced contact to get to the charity stripe, and left his man in the dust with several timely backdoor cuts.

Grade: B+

Malaki Branham

San Antonio handed Malaki Branham a more prominent role in their offense after countless injuries decimated the depth chart last season, and he made the most of his expanded workload and left a lasting impression on the front office. After successful stints at Las Vegas Summer League and the California Classic, the second-year guard maintained his momentum with a stellar preseason debut. He notched 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting while operating as the engine of the second unit.

Branham struggled to score efficiently as a rookie, but added strength and experience allowed him to get to his spots versus the Thunder. He lowered his shoulder to displace defenders, dropped delicate floaters from paint, navigated ball screens for midrange jumpers, attacked unbalanced closeouts with off-foot finishes, curled dribble handoffs to create space, and buried a pair of catch-and-shoot three-pointers. His refined feel with and without the ball should help him earn regular rotation minutes.

Grade: B