The San Antonio Spurs are on the brink of a breakthrough moment, heading into Tuesday’s NBA Cup final against the New York Knicks with momentum, confidence-and a bit of mystery. The biggest question? How exactly they’ll deploy Victor Wembanyama, their 7-foot-4 phenom who just put together one of his most impactful performances of the season… off the bench.
Head coach Mitch Johnson isn’t tipping his hand. After the Spurs’ thrilling 111-109 win over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals, Johnson declined to confirm whether Wembanyama would start or reprise his sixth-man role in the final. His reasoning was measured, suggesting the team is still in the process of learning and adjusting.
“We are still learning, and we want to be very mindful of that,” Johnson said.
That approach paid off on Saturday. Wembanyama sat the entire first quarter, then checked in to open the second-and immediately flipped the game on its head.
In just 21 minutes, the All-Star forward stuffed the stat sheet: 22 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including a perfect 1-for-1 from beyond the arc, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal. It wasn’t just efficient-it was game-changing.
Wemby’s presence altered the pace, the energy, and the rhythm of the contest. The Thunder, who had looked in control early, suddenly found themselves facing a different kind of challenge. That kind of impact in limited minutes is rare, and it speaks to just how special Wembanyama is-even when he's not on the floor for long stretches.
Whether that minutes restriction remains in place for the final is still up in the air. Wembanyama recently returned from a 12-game absence due to a left calf strain, and while the Spurs were more than solid in his absence-going 9-3-they’re clearly a different animal when he’s active and engaged.
Tuesday’s matchup against the Knicks will be another test, not just for Wemby’s conditioning, but for how this young Spurs team handles the big stage. They’ve already shown they can hang with the league’s elite, knocking off the reigning champs in a high-pressure setting. But Johnson and his squad know there’s still a long road ahead.
Wembanyama, for his part, isn’t rushing to crown the Spurs just yet. Despite the emotional high of Saturday’s win, he’s keeping things in perspective when it comes to talk of rivalries with the Thunder.
“I think we’re not quite there yet… it’s not like we are the second seed right now,” Wembanyama said. “They’re in their own tier, but in the future, if we reach that level, it would be great to have a rivalry.”
That kind of maturity from a 20-year-old superstar is just another reason San Antonio fans have every reason to be excited. The Spurs may not be at the top of the Western Conference just yet-they currently sit with the fifth-best record-but they’re trending in the right direction. And with Wembanyama continuing to grow into his role, both physically and mentally, this team is starting to look like a serious problem for the rest of the league.
Tuesday’s NBA Cup final isn’t just a shot at a trophy-it’s a chance for the Spurs to announce themselves as more than just a promising young squad. With Wemby on the floor, anything feels possible.