Wembanyama's debut was most-watched NBA opener in 11 years

A big audience tuned in to watch San Antonio Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama make his regular-season debut against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

Wembanyama's debut was the most-watched NBA opening night game in 11 years, amassing 2.99 million viewers, according to the league's communications department. It also became the most-watched Spurs-Mavs regular-season matchup ever on ESPN, excluding Christmas games.

The 2023 No. 1 draft pick finished with 15 points on 6-of-9 shots from the field and had two assists, five rebounds, and a block as the Spurs fell 126-119 to the Mavs.

The game drew plenty of viewers from Wembanyama's native France, with the league reporting that NBA League Pass viewership was up 220% in the country compared to last year's regular season average.

Wembanyama will face the Houston Rockets on Friday night in his second matchup.