Las Vegas’ Thomas and Mack Center is often packed to the brim for NBA Summer League in early July. But nothing has compared to the crowds gathering under the scorching desert sun to witness the 2023 iteration.

The generational Victor Wembanyama, drafted No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs, is bringing with him a never-before-seen hype.

Just one lap through the concourse at UNLV’s home arena gives an indication.

Fathers and sons taking in the sights while repping Spurs gear, a handful of jerseys from the last once-in-a-lifetime Spurs big man – Tim Duncan – and a collection of young Spurs fans crowded behind the team’s bench hoping to catch a glimpse of the new era of San Antonio basketball.

Wembanyama debuted at Summer League on July 7 in front of a sold out crowd. The French phenom struggled in his first game in a Spurs uniform, finishing with nine points, eight rebounds and five blocks on 2-for-13 shooting.

But those struggles aren’t without context.

Wembanyama’s season with Metropolitans 92 ended on June 15. Most Summer League players have been in the offseason since March.

Despite the expected fatigue, Wembanyama appeared anxious to return to game action on July 9 against the Portland Trail Blazers. It was another sold out crowd.

“There’s a lot of attention on him, and I’d be lying if I said he didn’t feel some of that,” Nielsen said. “But he showed that talent and resilience. He stepped up and was better in the areas that we spoke about him with.”

He spent the first quarter shaking off the rust and getting some words of wisdom from Spurs Summer League head coach Matt Nielsen. Wembanyama is regularly seen at the front of the Spurs bench when he’s not on the court.

Then, in the second quarter, he went to work. He touched the ball on every possession for a five-minute stretch. He and Blake Wesley – who offered him words of encouragement in the moments before tipoff – combined for a lethal two-man game.

By halftime, he had surpassed the scoring total of his first game.

Wembanyama’s aggression carried into the second half. He quickly earned a trip to the line, then snagged a missed floater and turned it into three points with an and-one. Each of his teammates rushed to show love for the rookie’s veteran play.

When he checked out at the five-minute mark, he received another ovation from the fans. Then he returned to his spot at the front of the bench.

This time, with some more confidence and NBA action under his belt, he gave some insight to his teammates on the court.

Nielsen turned back to the 2023 No. 1 pick with the result up in the air in the final four minutes.

Wembanyama was active in the paint on both ends, blocking shots and nailing turnaround jumpers. Chants of “Victor” rained down as he took over the final minutes. A crowd made up largely of opposing fanbases became Spurs fans for the moment.

And although the Spurs walked away with a five-point loss, the fans walked away with the show they were promised, delivered by the 19-year-old getting more hype than any prospect since LeBron James.

He finished his night with 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks on 9-for-14 shooting in 27 minutes of action. He looked poised and as though he had something to prove after Friday night’s miscues.

“He’s an amazing person, on and off the court,” said his teammate Wesley. “He’s gifted. I told him during shootaround this morning that we have to get him going early, and we see what happened.

Above the action on the court, the Thomas and Mack Center is this week’s living testament to the cultural impact Wembanyama is already having on the NBA.

There have been many top prospects to light up the Summer League stage. But as the sold out Summer League crowd would attest, no one is quite like Wembanyama.