Victor Wembanyama may go down as one of the greatest NBA players ever.
Drafted first overall in 2023 by the San Antonio Spurs, Wemby was the Rookie of the Year, placed second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and made the All-Defensive 2nd Team right off the bat. In that 2023-25 season, he averaged 21 PPG in 30 MPG and added a staggering 3 BPG (Blocks Per Game).
His shot-blocking prowess continued, making him the NBA’s leader every year that he has played. This season, his scoring output reached 25 PPG (regular season), and his playoff stats are just as impressive — 23 PPG and 4 BPG while shooting 54% from the field.
“Jaw-dropping” is one way to describe Wemby’s NBA play. Consider his 41-point performance in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals vs OKC, which was topped off with a 28-foot bomb with less than 30 seconds left to play. That basket forced double OT and led to a Spurs’ win. A one-off? How about his half-court buzzer beater in San Antonio’s breezy 21-point Game 4 win? Oh, he also had 33 points in that game, too.
San Antonio lost Game 5 to OKC despite Wemby’s 20 points and 3 blocks, but Wemby reversed the outcome in Thursday’s Game 6 win. He scored 28 points in 28 minutes, grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking three shots, while shooting 10-21, including 4-9 from distance.
The Spurs prevailed, 118-91, and now it’s on to the deciding Game 7, Saturday in OKC, 8 PM, on NBC/Peacock.
Even if the Spurs lose in the Western Final (OKC is an early -3.5 favorite), that outcome won’t change the undeniable fact that Wemby is on a mission to become a generational player. The great news is that we fans get to see NBA history being made.
