If there was any fear about Victor Wembanyama's adjustment to the NBA, it had to do with his frame. Wembanyama is one of the NBA's tallest players at 7-foot-3, but he is very skinny for his height and will almost certainly bulk up with more time in San Antonio's strength and conditioning program.

Wemby went 1-for-4 in the second quarter as the Clippers ramped up their intensity on defense against him. Devin Vasell took over for Wembanyama and delivered nine points and one assist in the period. San Antonio surrendered the lead to trail 67-60 at halftime.

The story, as Buford tells it, goes like this: Claudio Crippa, an international scout for the Spurs, proposed going to see a youth game before checking out Doumbouya. Buford saw Wembanyama play for the first time that day. And the seeds for the Spurs' new master plan were immediately planted.