Victor Wembanyama spent part of his offseason in the spotlight again, but this time the moment came with a scare instead of a highlight.
The San Antonio Spurs center was in New York last week for Fanatics Fest, where he served as the special guest on a football podcast. During that appearance, he spoke about his support for Paris Saint-Germain, France star Kylian Mbappe, and Argentina icon Lionel Messi.
Wemby accidentally slips while playing soccer with the community 😭🙏
— NBABase (@TheNBABase) July 27, 2026
(Via @jhazy68/TT) pic.twitter.com/SncuVcIlJy
Not long after that, Wembanyama took part in a friendly match on the pitch. That’s where things got tense.
He had a clean look from outside the box, then slipped and had his knees buckle beneath him. For a few seconds, it was the kind of sight that could make Spurs fans hold their breath.
Fortunately for San Antonio, the 22-year-old laughed it off, got back on his feet without help, and kept playing.
Even so, the moment set off plenty of concern online, especially given Wembanyama’s injury history. Fans on X reacted quickly.
“I'm not a Spurs fan, brother, but sit your a** down. YOU NEED TO COMPETE,” said @leonidusfather.
“At 7-foot-4, it won't be funny for long,” added @AntsAtaraxy.
“Spurs front office's heart just sank to their a**, son,” wrote @561jusvnn.
“Wemby almost unlocked a new highlight for the wrong reason,” commented @Meda11233.
“His ankles entered the transfer portal,” joked @madibaway.
All of that probably confirms one thing: Wembanyama is not getting a call-up from France for the FIFA World Cup.
He’s coming off the best season of his career, one in which he stayed healthy for 64 games and posted career highs across the board. Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, shot 51.2%, and grabbed 11.5 rebounds while also adding 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 3.1 blocks.
The Spurs need their Defensive Player of the Year healthy, plain and simple. Wembanyama, who is on the cover of NBA 2K27, has been working this summer as well, including continued training with NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon. Football, thankfully, is not part of that plan.
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The heart of the argument is era context, and that is where the conversation gets heated. Russell built his legend in a much smaller league with different defensive demands, while Duncan spent nearly two decades holding down the middle for a Spurs team that rarely slipped defensively and often set the standard for the rest of the league. Even at the end of his career, he was still showing up in the metrics that matter, which is why this debate feels less like a simple ranking and more like a challenge to how greatness should be measured. [Read more 🡒]
NBA 2K27 May Have Just Hinted At The Spurs Starting Five
The new NBA 2K27 gameplay trailer gave Spurs fans a fresh look at Victor Wembanyama and several of his teammates, and it did more than just show off the games visuals. Along with the Finals imagery and the new uniforms on display, the trailer also leaned into San Antonios recent rise by revisiting the kind of moment that has changed the franchises trajectory and put a spotlight on the roster around its young star.
What really caught attention, though, was the way the trailer seemed to sketch out a potential starting group for San Antonio. With a newly acquired veteran folded into the mix, the video offered a glimpse at how the Spurs might line up when the real games begin, leaving just enough room for the usual preseason questions about roles, fit and who ultimately gets the nod when the rotation settles in. [Read more 🡒]