Wembanyama quote emphasizes how ridiculous Mavs were to trade Luka

A popular interview question asked to just about every NBA player at some point is: When was your 'welcome to the NBA' moment? The answers are always interesting because they give you insight into the mind of an elite athlete, describing a time they felt overwhelmed by other elite athletes. It's also usually funny, as guys admit to getting destroyed on the court with quite a bit of levity.

Victor Wembanyama had a rapid-fire session with TNT in advance of All-Star Weekend, and he was finally asked the golden question. While it wasn't as humorous as other responses have been, it was enlightening.

"My very first game, playing against Luka. On that day, I saw a level of basketball that I had never seen before." - Wembanyama

Getting Luka out of Dallas is great for the Spurs

The Mavericks built their entire roster around Luka Doncic and with very good reason. The Slovenian Savant was a problem as soon as he entered the league. He gave buckets to almost every defender who stepped up to the plate, including some of the NBA's best.

San Antonio played the Mavericks at home for Wemby's first game in the league. He was a rookie with all eyes on him, but Luka stole the show that night. Sure, the Alien showed up—15 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block—but he was also out of his depth, getting himself in foul trouble (5). He only played 23 minutes that night.

The Spurs fought hard that game, only losing it by seven points (126-119), so it wasn't a blowout by any stretch. But they couldn't slow Doncic down even a little bit. The former Mavericks franchise player dropped a 30-point triple-double—33 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists—and threw in a couple of steals for good measure.

Dereck Lively II received praise for a great game (16 points on 7-8) since it was his rookie debut as well, but he benefited from the attention and manipulation of Luka all game. That doesn't take away from Lively's performance, though. He played a great game.

However, it was the same situation Chet Holmgren found himself in, receiving praise in comparison to Wemby when their roles were vastly different and the rosters were nowhere near comparable. When you have a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luka Doncic, the prospects of winning any game are good.

Players like that are that talented. OKC would never even consider trading SGA. If anyone called about the talented young guard, they would be laughed off the phone. Luka should have been afforded the same treatment, but he wasn't, and now the Spurs no longer have to deal with him and that team they've assembled around him.

They'll still be forced to play him four times a year since he's a Laker now, but nobody truly believes in LA's front office. They've been inept for years now. The Purple and Gold will have to show us they're worth worrying about before we bat an eye in their direction.