Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Victor Wembanyama, whose rapid rise from teen phenom to superstar has transformed the San Antonio Spurs into legitimate title contenders, is relishing his first shot at NBA playoff glory. “This moment is what you work on all year, but also your whole career,” Wembanyama said as the Spurs looked forward to their Western Conference first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers — the five-time champion franchise’s first playoff appearance in seven years.
Wembanyama, 22, has been the driving force of that resurgence which saw the Spurs claim the Western Conference second seed behind the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Drafted at 19, Wembanyama enjoyed a dazzling rookie campaign on a still struggling Spurs team that finished with 22 victories and 60 defeats. An outstanding sophomore season was brought to a premature close because of blood clots in his shoulder. The frightening diagnosis was just another blow for a Spurs team that had seen longtime coach Gregg Popovich step away after suffering a stroke.
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“It means a lot, coming back from a terrible place,” said Wembanyama, who in his third campaign has placed himself unquestionably among the game’s elite. He averaged a career-high 25 points per game and a league best 3.1 blocks to help the Spurs, who had 34 victories in 2024-25, pile up 62 wins. A front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year honors and in the Most Valuable Player mix, Wembanyama has been complemented this season by All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox and explosive shooting guard Stephon Castle. Fox is the only member of their starting five who has previous playoff experience, but reserves Harrison Barnes and Luke Kornet have won NBA titles, Barnes with Golden State in 2015 and Kornet with Boston in 2024.
Wembanyama himself is no stranger to high-stakes games. He likened the playoff anticipation building in San Antonio to the 2024 Olympics, where France won silver in front of home fans in a final against a USA team stacked with NBA superstars. “You can feel it, for sure,” Wembanyama told reporters after practice on Wednesday. “Everybody is a little bit more locked in. Everybody is a little bit more involved.”
Wembanyama, who missed several games with a bruised rib in the waning days of the regular season, says he is “very close” to full fitness. “There’s always something going on,” he said. “In terms of regular-season shape, I’m very close.” The Spurs go in as heavy favorites for the series starting this Sunday against the Trail Blazers, whose coach Tiago Splitter won an NBA title with San Antonio in 2014. Wembanyama says he’s trying to stay focused on the first task in hand but admits it’s tempting to look ahead to a possible championship. “I can’t really help but dream about it, but we have to stay grounded, stay in the moment,” he said.
© 2024 AFP
