Victor Wembanyama scored 12 points in the annual Silver & Black Open Scrimmage on Saturday night much to the delight of 10,576 fans eager to see the Spurs star back in action.
Wembanyama’s Team Silver fell 67-65 to Team Black, but fans were thrilled to see the 7-foot-4 center dominate for stretches after returning from the blood clot in his right shoulder that ended his sophomore season last February after his first appearance in the All-Star Game.
It was Wembanyama’s first appearance on the floor at the Frost Bank Center since he scored 30 points to go along with 14 rebounds and six blocks in a 144-118 pounding of Milwaukee on Jan. 31.
Fittingly, Wembanyama scored the scrimmage’s first basket, sinking an easy layup on an inside feed from Adam Flagler. The 21-year-old Frenchman went on to score eight points in the first period on 4-of-6 shooting.
Wembanyama’s production in the early going included a dunk while maneuvering down low against 7-foot-1, 270-pound Luke Kornet. He also scored on a bank shot in the first few minutes, which likely reminded many in the crowd of Spurs icon Tim Duncan’s signature shot.
“He can just be honestly a monster finishing and then even just getting the shots,” Kornet said of Wembanyama, who the Spurs list this season at 240 pounds, an increase of 30 from his rookie season.
The Spurs had a scary moment when 2024-25 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle left the game early after banging knees with Wembanyama, but a team spokesman said after the event the guard was “OK.”
Several players sat out the scrimmage, including rookie Dylan Harper, the No. 2 overall pick who underwent thumb surgery in the offseason; De’Aaron Fox, who is recovering from an offseason hamstring injury; Jeremy Sochan, who suffered an offseason calf injury; and Kelly Olynyck, who had offseason heel surgery.
Devin Vassell (healthy scratch) and Jordan McLaughlin also did not suit up.
The free event ended with the veterans getting laughs out of watching Harper, rookie Carter Bryant and several other younger players sing for the fans.
Bryant, the 14th overall pick, might have given the best performance while belting out “Umbrella” by Rihanna.
“I’ve sung that song a million times in my mom’s car, full volume just screaming at the top of my lungs, so it wasn’t anything I needed to practice,” Bryant said. “It was more so just not being so out of key that it sounded horrendous.”
