Victor Wembanyama has a gargantuan task ahead of him as he looks to bring the San Antonio Spurs back to basketball glory. He is entering his fourth season, and so far, he has done a good job.
Most recently, he willed the Spurs to an NBA Finals appearance, although they ultimately lost to the New York Knicks. The 2026 season marked the first time since 2019 that the Spurs made the playoffs, and they went all the way to the NBA Finals.
On a personal level, expectations are also high. Many believe Wembanyama can go down as one of the best players ever to grace the NBA. So far, he is exceeding the lofty standards set for him. He won the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year award unanimously and was named to the All-NBA First Team. He also came close to winning the Most Valuable Player award.
All eyes are on Wemby as he steps into greatness.
A member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team is also closely watching his development, believing the French star is carrying the torch for the next generation.

#wembanyama #team #award

In an interview for Sports Illustrated, the retired former NBA superstar revealed that he actively rooted for the Knicks to win the championship. "I kind of had them winning the entire time," Rose admitted. "My son is a Jalen [Brunson] fan. So he was cheering for them the whole playoffs. I called Rick [Brunson] right before they got to the Finals and told him that they was going to play against Wemby [Victor Wembanyama] now. And if they was going to play against them, that they was going to win."
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Derrick Rose on Knicks' ******* le: I had them winning the entire time

#sports

Ralph Sampson is kind of overlooked, if not forgotten today, but he was sort of the original Wemby, minus the three-point shooting, and he was a much better athlete than Victor Wembanyama is.
At Virginia, the 7-4 Sampson was a revelation. He was very thin, but was immediately dominant in the ACC, and he made Virginia a very tough out.
He made a great impression on many people, including a young Michael Jordan. Jordan was recruited by Duke, NC State and UNC, where he of course ended up, but at one point, Jordan very much wanted to team up with Sampson at Virginia.
For whatever reason, then-coach Terry Holland didn't make a big push. In fairness, Jordan was a late bloomer who was famously cut as a high school sophomore. People knew he was special by the end of his junior year, but by then it was probably too late for Virginia.
For a moment though, imagine what might have been. UNC won a **** le during his freshman year. With Sampson and Jordan, Virginia might have won two or three, and arguably could have pulled off an undefeated season or two.

#virginia #people

Victor Wembanyama's become an instant NBA superstar since making his way to America, but the internet is quickly latching onto "Indian Wemby" after a number of viral clips.
Jagmeet Singh is an internet highlight machine since being discovered as a 14 year old in his native India. However, the young basketball prodigy has NBA hopes after coming to the United States to play and attend school.
MORE: Dallas Mavericks offer massive fan 'bounty' for ultra-rare Cooper Flagg card
The 7-feet 4-inches Singh is drawing stark comparisons to the San Antonio Spurs superstar as he prepares to enter college basketball in 2027.
India isn't traditionally a country that boasts a lot of basketball talent despite the country's interest in the NBA. Sim Bhullar and Satnam Singh are just two of the success stories that come from the Asian nation over the years.

#singh #since #victor #wemby

Victor Wembanyama almost won the NBA championship in 2026 after a unique offseason, and NBA legend Joakim Noah recently got some insight into what the Spurs star did.
The 2025-26 NBA season eventually ended in disappointment for Victor Wembanyama, with the San Antonio Spurs losing against the New York Knicks in the Finals.
However, it was a huge achievement for Wemby and his young teammates to make it that far already. It wasn't exactly a surprise either, the Frenchman is as locked in as any young star has ever been.
During the previous NBA offseason, he spent time training with monks at a Shaolin temple in China. And while the training was documented a bunch, Joakim Noah has now found out what he likely learned.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

#noah #SPURS

Nick DePaula: Nike on re-signing Wemby: "We are proud to continue supporting Victor Wembanyama's journey with Nike. As one of the most unique and influential athletes in the world, Victor is a generational talent who continues to inspire the games next generation. We are excited about all that we've built together and look forward to more wins ahead."
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "We are proud to continue supporting Victor …

#nike #proud #continue #hype

Twenty-four months later, "Wemby" is back in the Paris region, ready to play again with his country , and his status has evolved: he is no longer just a 20-year-old Rookie of the Year, but a 22-year-old All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year and potential MVP. At the inauguration of a renovated basketball court in Nanterre, a moment he described as " lucky " to be able to experience, Victor Wembanyama made no secret of his enthusiasm about returning to where he trained for eight years. And in France, more broadly. " When I come back here, it does me a lot of good, " he says , before looking ahead to his return to the blue jersey, since he had to miss Euro 2025. " I don't miss the NBA at the moment, but I do miss FIBA ," he clearly tells the journalists present.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Victor Wembanyama: 'I don't miss the NBA at the moment, but I do miss FIBA'

#victor #wembanyama #back

Typically, when an extraordinarily tall player comes along, his main value is simply his height. Take Tacko Fall, for instance.
When he was at UCF, Fall, at 7-6 and around 300 lbs, was a huge pain in the paint. Duke learned about this in the 2019 NCAA tournament, when Central Florida nearly knocked the Blue Devils out.
Victor Wembanyama changed this expectation a bit. At 7-4, maybe 7-5, Wembanyama is a brilliant shot blocker, but also an excellent ball handler for his height, and he shoots very well from behind the line as well.
He's the new standard for very, very tall guys who have game.
Now, there's another kid on the horizon from Australia. His name is Jongkuch Mach. He's 18 and 7-6. He's being compared to Wemby, but he's not there yet.

#fall #well #take #duke

Chris Paul recalls the shock he felt from Victor Wembanyama's past as an academy player originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
During one year with the San Antonio Spurs, Chris Paul became a valuable mentor for his younger teammates. He was by far the oldest player on the roster, so he was naturally the leader the players turned to for advice.
The biggest beneficiaries of that were the youngsters from the 2024-25 Spurs team: Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. In fact, Wembanyama always hung out with Paul, as they even went to France to train. Wemby himself told Paul about his past as an academy player, which left Paul gobsmacked.
As a player who grew up in the United States, Paul had an established path to the NBA. That is playing through high school, getting recruited to play college basketball, and then getting drafted to the NBA. That has been a long-standing path to the league, but the rise of international players has shown there are other ways to reach the NBA.
For a long time, European players have made their way to becoming top players by grinding it out in the EuroLeague and other leagues around the world. In recent years, many European players have gone through the academy system, which helps develop younger athletes to become the best versions of themselves.

#players

Victor Wembanyama is fresh off a phenomenal season where he led the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals.
Although the San Antonio Spurs were no match for the New York Knicks during the 2026 NBA Finals, it showed a glimpse of what Victor Wembanyama is capable of if he stays healthy.
Next season, Wemby will enter Year 4 in the NBA. While fans expect great things from the reigning NBA DPOY, he gave Spurs fans a reason to celebrate after signing a five-year, $252 million max contract extension.
A five-year, $252 million max contract is no small deal, but one may wonder why Wembanyama settled for it rather than going for the $303 million supermax contract available on the table.
Well, the reason is simple: he wanted to leave some room in the cap for the Spurs to retain the supporting cast.

Victor Wembanyama is the definition of a no-brainer max extension for the Spurs — and the two sides have agreed to just that, a five-year, $252 million extension, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
However, the key for the Spurs is that Wembanyama agreed to no escalators, Charania reports, and that could save the Spurs more than $50 million over the course of this deal. What the sides have agreed to is the 25% of the salary cap max. However, Wembanyama, a First-Team All-NBA selection and reigning unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, would very likely qualify for a Rose rule 30% max contract, estimated to start at $53.5 million and be worth more than $300 million over the course of the five-year contract.
Essentially, Wemby left $50 million on the table to help the Spurs build out the roster around him. Wembanyama hinted about this on social media.
The impact of the current CBA and the punitive tax apron system has become a hot topic around the NBA. The Knicks just won a ***** le in part because Jalen Brunson took $113 million off the max he could have asked for, giving the Knicks' front office some room to bring in other players. Celtics president Brad Stevens said that trading away Jaylen Brown was, in part, because of the challenges of building out their roster with two supermax players (Brown and Jayson Tatum).
Wembanyama and the Spurs worked together to secure a healthy payday for Wembanyama, averaging a little more than $50 million per season, while retaining some flexibility, Charania reports.

Shams Charania: BREAKING: San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama has signed a five-year, $252 million maximum rookie-scale contract extension, with a player option in the fifth season, sources tell ESPN.
x.com
Jake Fischer: There has been word this morning in Las Vegas that Victor Wembanyama is considering signing less than his maximum rookie scale extension to provide San Antonio greater financial flexibility. Victor Wembanyama: Spurs family, I'm here to stay. Whatever it takes? — 7/10/2026 x.com
Heat Central: Neon: Who you got in a 1v1 you or Wemby? Giannis: Me. All day. All day — 7/6/2026 x.com

Shams Charania: Victor Wembanyama decided on the 25% maximum instead of the 30% supermax escalators to $303M, after he and the Spurs went through multiple frameworks. A major decision for the All-NBA star and Defensive Player of the Year entering his fourth season. San Antonio worked in close partnership with Wembanyama and his representatives, offering the full super max and different variations of extensions. But Wembanyama ultimately chose a contract sacrifice rooted in giving him and the organization increased ability to build a sustained ******* le contender around him.
x.com
Jake Fischer: There has been word this morning in Las Vegas that Victor Wembanyama is considering signing less than his maximum rookie scale extension to provide San Antonio greater financial flexibility. Victor Wembanyama: Spurs family, I'm here to stay. Whatever it takes? — 7/10/2026 x.com
Heat Central: Neon: Who you got in a 1v1 you or Wemby? Giannis: Me. All day. All day — 7/6/2026 x.com

Oklahoma City Thunder spent years carefully putting together a **** le-contending squad. Now, with Victor Wembanyama right in their way, it doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere soon.
According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, league sources believe the Thunder are considering a move up in the 2026 NBA Draft, with Michigan centre Aday Mara frequently mentioned as their target.
After falling to San Antonio in the playoffs, it’s clear why this rumour is gaining traction – and what the Thunder took from their Western Conference Finals experience.
During that series, Chet Holmgren had plenty of moments where he struggled against Wembanyama’s size and agility. It wasn’t just about his strength or skill – Wemby was able to move around him more easily than anyone else.
The Thunder aren’t looking for an instant fix, though. Aday Mara has promise but is still raw at 21 years old and not ready to make a major impact right away. His development would take time, but he fits the profile of someone who could help balance out those matchups down the road.

The New York Knicks aren’t just NBA champions, they’re a lesson in perseverance. Proof positive why you should never quit on your team, no matter how dark it gets, no matter how bleak the future seems, no matter how much an owner tries to push you away. James Dolan’s name might be on the papers, but Saturday night proved that the Knicks don’t belong to him — they belong to New York.
It’s impossible not to love the scenes from New York following the Knicks’ breaking their 53-year championship drought. Did the celebration go too far? Sure. Did it turn the streets into anarchy? Absolutely. Did it closely resemble the Joker’s clown parade in Batman Returns? It sure did. It was also magical, inspiring, and reminded us how powerful sports can be, even as we become jaded in the face of ticket scalpers, political movements, and greedy owners who put their own motivations ahead of a city. When the dust settles, it’s about simply this: A small group of individuals who came together as a team, to bring joy to millions who have invested their heart and souls into loving a team their entire lives. People who said “this could be our year” more times than they could count, and when it comes to the NBA there is not a single more passionate, longer-suffering fanbase than the New York Knicks.
No doubt there would have been joy in San Antonio too, but it would have hit different. All due respect to Spurs fans, but even y’all have to admit that your franchise has had a horseshoe lodged up your derriere for the better part of 30 years. From drafting Tim Duncan during David Robinson’s ONE injury year to winning the Wemby sweepstakes, it just wouldn’t have been satisfying to see another Spurs win. Moreover, San Antonio is a competent, sensible organization run like a successful business — it’s not the Knicks, where fans have had to endure James Dolan’s whims at every turn, doing his level best to destroy the organization from within while playing a piano solo in his nepo band.
Dolan and the Knicks have given fans HUNDREDS of reasons to pack it in over the years. I don’t know how Spike Lee managed to endure the pain for as long as he did — but not just the pain, the promise. The possibility that Patrick Ewing, and John Starks would win a **** le, then if Stephon Marbury and Allan Houston could get the job done, then Carmelo, Amare, and J.R. Smith. Fans continually experience the yo-yo whiplash of made that make them believe, before seeing opportunity get yanked away, like a cat toy from a desperate tabby. They’ve seen brilliant teams under the guidance of Jeff Van Gundy, Mike D’Antoni, and Tom Thibodeau all establish specific eras of Knicks disappointment, which makes it all the more magical right now.
This Knicks team was so decidedly un-Knicks. Jalen Brunson is obviously a superstar, but this team was defined by doubt, not promise. **** ody believed Karl-Anthony Towns was good enough to be a focal point, Mickal Bridges was an overpaid addition; heck, Mike Brown wa

Victor Wembanyama’s first NBA Finals heartbreak has sparked a fierce debate about sportsmanship after the Spurs’ loss to the Knicks.
New York sealed the series with a 94-90 win at Frost Bank Center, closing out a 4-1 Finals victory and ending the franchise’s 53-year championship wait. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 45 points, while Wembanyama finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
The basketball story was already massive. But the conversation quickly shifted after the final buzzer, when fans debated whether the Spurs gave the new champions enough respect.
New York Basketball posted a clip featuring Draymond Green’s reaction: “Wow they didn’t shake their hands… that’s not good.” The footage appeared to show Spurs players walking off while the Knicks celebrated.
That moment was enough to split fans immediately. One frustrated Knicks supporter wrote, “After every game we gave spurs respect. Spoke of them being a good team that is well coached. Never once did they compliment us. Wemby needs to go study more with the monks. Cause he didn’t get lesson in humility.”

Victor Wembanyama escaped the NBA Finals whirlwind with some drawing in a park before playing a starring role in the San Antonio Spurs' 115-111 victory at the New York Knicks on Monday.
The French superstar scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds to spark a San Antonio win that pulled them within 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, which continues on Wednesday.
"Wemby" escaped the mental tensions of the NBA Finals by leaving the hotel hours before game three and making a drawing of a statue in a park.
"Really tried to relax," said Wembanyama. "The playoffs, it's like a whirlwind. It's hard to put your head out of the water.
"I need some time off, let my brain cool down, recover as much for the body as for the mind."

Victor Wembanyama embraces being a New York villain, but he knows one player is the best originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
In Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama was caught shoving Jalen Brunson. This did not go down well with the fans at Madison Square Garden.
It led to a huge, explicit chant across the arena directed at Wembanyama. This was reminiscent of what happened when the Atlanta Hawks and the Knicks went against each other in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, and Trae Young was the recipient of a similar chant.
Despite Wembanyama playing in the NBA Finals against the Knicks, it seems Young is still the most hated player in New York City. That just goes to show how much Young truly frustrated the Knicks and their fans during the 2021 Playoffs.
However, Wemby could be in the running in the future because the Finals are the biggest stage possible. If Wembanyama can continue playing this way and finding ways to frustrate the fans, he might become the biggest villain in NYC, both literally and figuratively.

Victor Wembanyama hears loud 'F— you, Wemby' chants from Knicks crowd after shove on Jalen Brunson originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There was little doubt that the Spurs would face their most difficult road test of the season on Monday night.
Between the Knicks' 2-0 Finals lead, their decades-long **** le drought, the celebrities in attendance and even the president's invitation, it was expected to be loud at Madison Square Garden — and Victor Wembanyama would have to fight through that adversity to virtually keep San Antonio's chances alive.
Once Wembanyama was at the center of a controversial no-call against Jalen Brunson, however, it opened the floodgates even more for Knicks fans to come at him.
Here a look at Madison Square Garden's "F— you, Wemby" chants following Wembanyama's shove against the Knicks star.

NBA fans are having a range of reactions to an eager fan running out onto the court during Game 1, just to take a picture with Victor Wembanyama. The game was halted as a result of the incident, with guards eventually taking the fan out of the court.
Wemby himself seemed quite taken aback by the entire scene, looking at the fan’s phone and smiling. While many fans seemed pretty humored by the whole thing, others felt that the fan crossed a line, especially considering that this was the finals.
“Bro ran on the court for a pic with Wemby (crying emoji x4)” X user ShowCaseShabazz tweeted, sharing a clip of the Wemby fan.
“He has no idea he’s risking lifetime ban and jail time.” one fan pointed out.
“Bro saw Wemby and said ‘lifetime ban? Worth it’ Mitchell Robinson’s face is me trying to process 2026 reality,” another fan added.

Tom Orsborn: Steph Castle on Wemby’s pass that hit his back: “I was looking at him when he first got the rebound and I just started to take off, trying to give him some ******* e to dribble up the court. I didn't see him throw it to me.”
x.com
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: “I was looking at him when he first got the rebound …

Knicks vs Spurs box score: Full stats from NBA Finals Game 2 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Knicks came back after a Jalen Brunson injury scare to beat the Spurs by ten in Game 1. Effectively removing home court advantage from the Spurs until such a time that the Spurs can get a road win.
As of today, Jalen Brunson did not appear on the Knicks injury report for Game 2. The only name on that report is Mitchell Robinson who is probable with a finger issue that stems from the Cleveland series.
There's no such thing as a much win game in the second game of a seven-game series. However, the Spurs have plenty of adjustments they need to make. In Game 1, the Spurs did not win a single shooting stat. The alarming factor is that the Spurs only won two categories in any statistical metric. Fast break points and rebounds.
Victor Wembanyama did his part from an individual statistics standpoint. Any time Wemby registers 25+ points and 10+ rebounds, the Spurs have had a much better winning percentage in these playoffs. The Spurs team shooting must get better. 36% from the floor and 26% from three is just not going to cut it against a Knicks team that has no issues scoring in volume.

Donald Trump has confirmed reports that he will attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday, when his hometown New York Knicks will take on the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. He may even stick around for Game 4 later in the week.
“I’ve been a Knicks fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday, nodding to the team’s longtime conservative owner. “He has invited me, I’m going,” the president continued, adding “maybe I’ll do both” when asked about potentially attending Game 4.
The high-profile series kicked off Wednesday night, with the underdog Knicks erasing a sizable deficit in the third quarter to take Game 1 in San Antonio. Trump said on Thursday that he caught the first part of the game, but missed the middle because “I talk to generals all night long now.” He did catch the end of the game, he says, when the Jalen Brunson-led Knicks were “dominant” and “really amazing.”
“Wemby is a great player,” Trump added of the Spurs’ budding superstar. “I say how do you guard this guy? He’s seven-foot-five and he’s got a great shot, right? But they find a way to do it. They’re really great. They’re a great team. I’m happy for Jim because Jim has been fighting hard to produce such a team.”
Game 3 will be the first Finals game in Madison Square Garden since 1999, when the Knicks lost to the Spurs in five games. Trump will be only one of the celebrities in attendance. Big names like Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Tracy Morgan, Fat Joe, and, of course, Spike Lee have been court-side fixtures during the Knicks’ playoff run. If you’re a normal person who wants to watch Game 3 in person, it will cost nearly $10,000 just to get inside the building.

Tom Petrini: Wemby on first Finals game jitters: "It definitely felt special, for sure, but nothing... that could be an excuse, you know. It's, it was not a factor in our performance."
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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "It definitely felt special, for sure, but nothing... …

Oh No He Didn't: Wemby: "I agree to be patient but just to some extent. I think being inpatient can be a virtue at times because all those greats they have been inpatient and if you're inpatient 10 times, maybe 9 times you're just gonna be inpatient. But maybe that one time is gonna make you do something that you were not supposed to do, make you play over your level, make you overachieve and I think that's a difference maker between good and great"
x.com
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: But maybe that one time is gonna make you do something …

Oh No He Didn't: Wemby: "The lack of experience is a strength of us...because we could do impossible stuff because we don't know it's impossible"
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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Victor Wembanyama on the Spurs' lack of experience: We can do impossible things without knowing it's impossible

The last time the Spurs and Knicks met in the NBA Finals, you could not have watched highlights from the game on your iPhone — the first iPhone was eight years away. There also would have been no highlights on YouTube (2005), Twitter (2006, now X), or Instagram (2010).
Yet there are some similarities between those 1999 Finals and this year's showdown. The Spurs are led by a big man (Tim Duncan then, Victor Wembanyama now), with quality perimeter players around them (Avery Johnson and Sean Elliott then, Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox now). The Knicks were gritty and found ways to win then, just as they do now, even if the roster makeup is a very different style (Patrick Ewing-focused rather than Jalen Brunson-focused).
In 2026, San Antonio enters as the betting favorite even though the Knicks have won 11 in a row and enter the Finals on a historic hot streak. Who do the NBC Sports experts expect to take home the ***** le, the Spurs in a repeat of 1999, or the Knicks getting some revenge and their first ***** le since 1973? Here are our picks.
I preface this pick with an acknowledgment: The Knicks can win this series. If they stay red hot from 3, if they dominate the offensive glass (as they did in the NBA Cup Finals matchup of these teams), and if their wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges can put up big numbers, they can take the Finals and hoist a banner at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks match up as well as anyone with Wemby, and the best way to attack the Knicks is not the Spurs' preferred style of play.
I just don't believe New York can keep that going at a high enough level to win four of seven. I think the soft East has led to a perception that this good team is a little better than it actually is. In the end, talent wins out in the NBA and I think the Spurs are more talented, more versatile (especially with De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper looking healthy again), and will ask questions the Knicks just can't answer. This San Antonio team is different — better, more confident, and now battle-tested — than the one the Knicks beat during the season. New York will win a couple but not enough, and the Spurs take the series.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The marquee outside of Madison Square Garden in December 1949 once promoted the following event, which was happening a couple of days later: “Geo Mikan vs Knicks.”
Not “Minneapolis Lakers vs. Knicks.” Just George Mikan. The NBA's first one-of-a-kind big man.
It feels like history repeating itself now. The NBA Finals start Wednesday, with the San Antonio Spurs facing the Knicks for the ****** le. And the marquee for this series — in San Antonio, in New York, in Paris and countless other points around the globe — may as well say “Wemby vs Knicks.”
Victor Wembanyama keeps stepping onto bigger and bigger stages. The latest version of the NBA's one-of-a-kind big man — a ****** le once held by the likes of Mikan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal — will have all eyes on him in this series, and probably for every game he plays for the rest of his life. He's not “on the way” to superstardom. He's there. And this series is giving him his first chance at putting champion on his resume.
“This is the best basketball on the planet that’s being played right now,” Wembanyama said after San Antonio won Game 7 at Oklahoma City to capture the Western Conference ****** le. “And the crazy thing is ... I want to do that 15, 20 more times. Let’s hope it doesn’t become an addiction. Maybe it is already.”