If the NBA needed an early-season spectacle, the Victor Wembanyama vs. Zion Williamson showdown delivered one for the ages. In a game that felt like a heavyweight fight, the San Antonio Spurs edged out the New Orleans Pelicans 120-116 in overtime, fueled by an extraordinary battle between two physical marvels: Wembanyama, the 7’5” unicorn redefining defense, and Zion, the 6’6” powerhouse who reminded everyone he’s still one of the most dominant forces in the league.
Wembanyama finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and nine blocks, shooting an efficient 13-for-23 from the field. Zion countered with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, going 8-for-18 from the floor. But beyond the box score, this was a game defined by their clashes, pure power meeting futuristic finesse.
ZION DUNKS ON WEMBY ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME pic.twitter.com/S9pxc2vyMO
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 25, 2025
It all began on the very first play of the game. The Pelicans ran a double screen to free Zion, who caught the ball at full speed and charged straight at Wembanyama. The rookie sensation recognized what was coming, stepped up, and stretched his 8-foot wingspan, but he was a half-second too late. Zion exploded through contact and posterized Wembanyama, finishing the play with a thunderous dunk and a foul.
The Smoothie King Center erupted as Zion flexed on his way to the line.
But as we’ve learned quickly about Victor Wembanyama, he remembers.
Wemby blocked Zion FOUR times in 5 minutes 😭 pic.twitter.com/16jHwalsZl
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) October 25, 2025
Later in the same quarter, Zion drove into the lane again, but this time, Wemby was ready. He blocked Zion’s layup attempt cleanly off the glass. Zion grabbed his own rebound and went up again, smack, Wembanyama sent that one right back too. The Smoothie King Center went from roaring to gasping. Within a minute, the Frenchman had answered Zion’s opening dunk with two savage rejections on the same possession.
Later in the quarter, when Zion tried a layup in traffic, Wemby met him at the rim again, pinning the ball against the backboard like it was nothing.
Their battle only intensified. Early in the second quarter, Zion tried to body Wembanyama in the post, using his strength to create space. Wemby absorbed the contact, stayed vertical, and stuffed him again.
But late in the fourth quarter, with the Pelicans fighting to stay alive, Zion got his revenge. After grabbing a rebound, he soared straight into Wemby, slamming it home with both hands. Wemby could only glance upward as Zion’s dunk shook the rim.
ZION PUTS WEMBY ON A POSTER AGAIN 😱
(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/WuVPowwiW0
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 25, 2025
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the two stars had defined the night. Wembanyama’s defense was otherworldly; his nine blocks were a season-high. Yet Zion’s sheer willpower and physical dominance kept the Pelicans in it, with both of his dunks over Wemby serving as momentum-changers that reignited the crowd.
The game eventually went to overtime, where the Spurs’ poise made the difference. Wembanyama, before fouling out, scored San Antonio’s first basket of OT and swatted away Murphy’s floater in the final seconds, sealing the victory.
Through two games, Wembanyama has 69 points, 26 rebounds, and 13 blocks, while shooting over 57 percent from the floor: early MVP-level production. But on this night in New Orleans, Zion reminded everyone that raw power still has a place in the game.
Their duel was a clash of styles: strength vs. length, brute force vs. grace, and it might just be the beginning of the NBA’s next great rivalry.
