Video taking off 24x its usual first day

Wembanyama's foot pass meets a referee with soccer skills

Bleacher Report's brief courtside exchange passed 1.5 million views before its first full day was over.

Channel:

Bleacher Report Story of November 4, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 1,546,138 views a day, 24 times a normal first day on this channel (63,726).

Wemby & the ref show off the foot skills ⚽️

The referee needs only a foot and a clean catch to make this stoppage worth watching. Victor Wembanyama casually kicks the basketball toward him, and the official controls it, pops it up and gathers it in his hands.

A high-five for Wembanyama follows nearby. The referee holds the ball, his unexpected contribution complete.

Bleacher Report's Short has drawn about 1.5 million views in 23 hours, far beyond the channel's usual first-day audience for this format. There is no dunk, block or contested shot here, just a basketball briefly being treated like a soccer ball.

The comments give the official plenty of attention. Viewers single out his smooth touch and clean catch; some speculate about a soccer background, though the clip doesn't establish one. Others focus on the pleasure of seeing a player and referee share a playful exchange.

It is part of a busy run of basketball moments for Bleacher Report. Separate Shorts featuring an announcer pleading with Rudy Gobert not to attempt a three and LeBron James celebrating an and-one also drew unusually strong starts.

Published on Trari

Where next?

Also in American sports leagues and mediaVideo taking off 10x its usual first dayRich Eisen puts Caleb Williams's Bears in the Super Bowl conversationChicago's response to Seattle's comeback convinces Eisen, while Ben Johnson's own verdict is more restrained: the Bears are still building.Channel: The Rich Eisen Show · Story of November 4, 2026

A different discovery todayVideo taking off 70x its usual first dayTalarico, Ossoff and North Carolina's flip run through AP's election-night streamThe Associated Press put its race calls and balance-of-power maps on a single live feed, with cameras inside campaigns in Texas, Michigan and Georgia.Channel: Associated Press · Story of November 4, 2026

What viewers say

Ref the smooth one in this one.
@prestonscott9676See it on YouTube
He’ll never forget this juggle exchange
@i_slumped_yew-_-See it on YouTube
Ref passed the vibe check
@argcSee it on YouTube

4 more comments

Ref cold with it
@yola_frSee it on YouTube
This has to be the cleanest ref pass of all time
@masonwagnerofficialSee it on YouTube
That was smooth ngl
@ChrisBVibinSee it on YouTube
lol the way he walk pass like nothing happened tho
@Thebuzz12See it on YouTube