In a thrilling season opener against the Dallas Mavericks, Victor Wembanyama officially marked his NBA debut. The generational talent displayed immense potential by contributing 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals – despite the foul trouble. While the San Antonio Spurs narrowly fell short of victory, the inclusion of Wembanyama hinted at a promising future. Furthermore, his stats evoked memories of Tim Duncan’s debut back in 1997.

However, amid this historic night, there was another rookie who outshone the young prodigy. Dereck Lively, a rookie for the Mavericks, stole the spotlight. In an impressive performance, he amassed 16 points while securing 10 rebounds during his 31 minutes on the court. Now, he is aiming to do the same against the Brooklyn Nets.

Dereck Lively warms up with Mavs legend Tyson Chandler

As the Mavericks kick off the season with an electrifying road victory, all eyes are now fixed on their home opener against the Nets. Over time, the two teams have woven a tapestry of entwined history, adding an extra layer of excitement to the upcoming game.

However, for Dereck Lively II, the game holds the potential to serve as a pivotal moment in his journey to establish unwavering confidence in the league – especially with Nic Claxton absent from the Nets’ lineup.

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In the pregame warmup sessions, Lively is seen hard at work and laser-focused, alongside Mavs legend Tyson Chandler.

However, eyes will be set on Kyrie Irving during the game. Irving was traded to Dallas by Nets in the middle of previous season. The game will mark his battle with his former team. Furthermore, the idea of a potential ‘revenge’ game adds another layer of intrigue to the matchup.

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Notably, throughout Wemby’s NBA journey, he was compared relentlessly to LeBron James. Well, not entire but particularly the tidal wave of hype and excitement surrounding his arrival.

Victor Wembanyama is already making records

As Victor made his official NBA season debut, that excitement transformed into an electrifying reality. Though Wembanyama has a lengthy path ahead before he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with NBA legends, his performance was nothing short of thrilling. His NBA premiere captured the attention of an impressive average viewership of nearly 2.99 million, reaching a peak of 4.3 million.

To put that in perspective, when LeBron James burst onto the scene in 2003, his debut captured an audience of approximately 3.03 million.

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Furthermore, Victor Wembanyama‘s online content commanded a staggering 214 million views. It reached a mark that is unmatched by any NBA player since the 2023 preseason commenced.