Victor Wembanyama came up with some big plays to help the San Antonio Spur earn the first victory of his NBA career. While happy with his end-game performance, Wembanyama knows he has to improve to be better from the jump.

"All my life, I have preferred the end of the (game) because I feel better. But I have to do better before. It is one of my areas of improvement: play hard from the start," Wembanyama said.

The first overall pick finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Wembanyama shot 7-of-19 from the field and missed all six of his three-point attempts.

Wednesday night's game between the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, featuring the debut of Victor Wembanyama, averaged a 1.7 rating with 2.99 million viewers on ESPN.

The numbers represent the most-watched opening week game on the network since 2018.

The game peaked at 3.9 million viewers.

The first half of the network's doubleheader between the Celtics and Knicks averaged 2.55 million viewers and peaked at 4.35 million viewers.

The average viewership nearly matched the NBA Opening Night averages of 2.78 million viewers. 

The San Antonio Spurs have exercised their third-year team option on forward Jeremy Sochan and guards Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley for the 2024-25 season.

Sochan is entering his second year with the Spurs after being named to the 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie Second Team last season. Sochan played in 56 games where he averaged 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26.0 minutes.

Branham comes into his second season with the Silver and Black after appearing in 66 games last year and averaging 10.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 23.5 minutes. Branham led all rookies in points scored in the month of February, registering 185 total points and averaging 16.8 points per game.

Wesley starts his sophomore season with the Silver and Black after appearing in 37 games last year, averaging 5.0 points, 2.7 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 18.1 minutes. 

Zach Collins and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a two-year, $35 million contract extension.

Collins is now tied to the Spurs through the 25-26 season.

Collins played 11 games for the Blazers in 2019-20 and missed the entirety of 2020-21 while undergoing multiple ankle surgeries. 

Collins played in 63 games for the Spurs in 2022-23, averaging 11.6 points and 6.4 rebounds.

The San Antonio Spurs have waived Khem Birch.

Birch was acquired on Feb. 9, along with a 2024 Toronto first round pick and second round picks in 2023 and 2025 in a trade with the Raptors last season. In 282 career games, he holds career averages of 5.0 points, 4.4 rebounds in 17.1 minutes while shooting 52.0% from the floor.

The San Antonio Spurs have waived Erik Stevenson and Paul Watson. Both players were signed to non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deals earlier this week.

Both Stevenson and Watson are expected to join the Austin Spurs for the upcoming G League season.

The San Antonio Spurs signed Erik Stevenson and Paul Watson, sources told Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Watson last appeared in nine games for the Thunder during the 2021-22 season.

Stevenson went undrafted earlier this summer.

The Spurs now have a full 21-player roster heading into this season. 

Victor Wembanyama said that he is planning on playing several roles this upcoming season depending on the play.

"It just goes without saying that I'm sometimes playing the same role as (point guard) Tre Jones, sometimes the same as (center) Zach Collins, sometimes as (guard/forward) Devin Vassell.

"There are really no limitations. On a lot of set plays, on a lot plays, it really depends on where you are. But I can be the point guard just like I can be the wing," said Wembanyama on Wednesday.

Wembanyama added that there hasn't been much lineup experimentation thus far in training camp. 

Gregg Popovich said earlier this week that he was still trying to figure out Wembanyama's best position.

"Is Wemby going to be a five? Is he going to be a four? Is going to be a three? Is he going to play alongside Zach (Collins) in the post? Is he a perimeter player? What is he? Who does he fit best with out there? What should the rotations be? A lot of really cool questions that we'll get to answer," said Popovich. 

Devin Vassell has agreed to a five-year, $146 million extension with the San Antonio Spurs.

Vassell was the 11th overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Florida State.

Last season, Vassell averaged 18.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 31.0 minutes over 38 games.

The San Antonio Spurs waived Seth Millner and RaiQuan Gray on Saturday.

The team opened up another two-way contract after waiving Millner.

Gray could end up with the Austin Spurs in the G League.

The Spurs agreed to a buyout with Reggie Bullock earlier in the day.