The San Antonio Spurs pulled off a stunner in the NBA Cup semifinals, knocking off the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder in a game that wasn’t just a win-it was a statement. And right at the center of it all was Victor Wembanyama, fresh off an injury, making his presence felt both on the court and in front of the mic.
Wembanyama dropped 22 points in just 21 minutes, but it was what he said afterward that really caught fire. “I’m just glad to be part of something that’s growing to be so beautiful,” he said. “Pure and ethical basketball.”
That phrase-ethical basketball-sparked immediate buzz across the league. Some fans praised it, others raised eyebrows.
Was it a shot at the Thunder’s style of play? The timing made it hard to ignore.
Oklahoma City, led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has built a reputation for drawing fouls with surgical precision. It’s effective, no doubt-but it’s also drawn criticism for slowing the game down and leaning heavily on isolation sets and whistle-hunting.
But Wembanyama wasn’t interested in throwing shade-at least not directly. He clarified his comments in a follow-up press conference, offering insight into what he meant by “ethical” basketball. And in classic Wemby fashion, it was thoughtful, measured, and rooted in a deep understanding of the game.
“In modern basketball, we see a lot of brands of basketball that don’t offer much variety in dangers they propose to the opponents,” he explained. “Lots of isolation ball and, sometimes, kind of forced basketball.
We try to propose a brand of basketball that can be described as more old school sometimes; the Spurs way as well. So it’s tactically more correct basketball, in my opinion.”
That’s not a jab-it’s a philosophy. Wembanyama’s talking about a style that prioritizes movement, reads, and trust over individual heroics and foul-drawing tactics.
It’s about making the defense work, not just baiting it into mistakes. And in their semifinal win, the Spurs walked that talk.
Down the stretch, they didn’t force shots or rely on bailouts. They executed.
Cleanly. Patiently.
Like a team that’s learning how to win the right way.
It felt like a throwback to the golden years of Spurs basketball-when Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginóbili were slicing up defenses with precision and unselfishness. That DNA is still there, and Wembanyama is tapping into it.
As for Oklahoma City, the loss is more of a blip than a blemish. They’re still sitting pretty at 24-2, the best record in the West, and they’ve earned every ounce of that status.
But this game was a reminder: even the elite can be rattled when the tempo shifts and the whistles don’t come. The NBA Cup just happened to put that reminder on a bigger stage.
This wasn’t just a semifinal-it was a clash of basketball ideologies. On one side, a Thunder team built around star power and efficiency.
On the other, a Spurs squad leaning into ball movement, system, and patience. For one night, the latter won out.
And with Wembanyama leading the charge, it felt like a glimpse into the future of the franchise.
Now the question becomes: can the Spurs follow it up?
They’ve got the Knicks in the NBA Cup Final, and New York isn’t the same team from a year ago. Under Mike Brown, they’ve added depth, toughness, and a defensive identity that’s made them one of the East’s toughest outs.
It’s a big stage, and it could mark Wemby’s first piece of hardware in what’s shaping up to be a special career. Or it could be the moment the Knicks give their long-suffering fanbase something real to celebrate.
Either way, this NBA Cup is delivering. And if San Antonio keeps playing like this, they’re not just building something beautiful-they’re building something dangerous.