The San Antonio Spurs have always marched to their own beat. In an NBA landscape often defined by flash and star power, San Antonio built its empire on fundamentals, unselfishness, and a commitment to doing things the right way.
That blueprint-crafted by legends like David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginóbili, and so many more-was never flashy, but it was brutally effective. Now, with a new generation at the helm, the Spurs aren’t just honoring that legacy-they’re reviving it.
At the center of this renaissance is Victor Wembanyama, a once-in-a-lifetime talent whose presence alone changes the calculus of every possession. Wemby isn’t just the most hyped player to ever wear a Spurs jersey-he’s quickly becoming the most transcendent. But what’s making this resurgence so Spurs-like is what’s happening around him.
This isn’t a one-man show. It never has been in San Antonio.
Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson, once seen as potential franchise cornerstones, have embraced new roles as tertiary options. That kind of buy-in is rare in today’s NBA, where touches and headlines often drive careers.
But in San Antonio, it’s about the system-about the collective.
Take Stephon Castle, for example. On most teams, he’d be the go-to guy.
In San Antonio, he’s playing second fiddle in the backcourt to De’Aaron Fox-and doing it without a hint of ego. That’s the Spurs Way.
It never really left; it’s just been waiting for the right group to carry it forward.
From 1997 through 2017, the Spurs were the gold standard of consistency and success. They weren’t always the most exciting team on the floor, especially in an era dominated by the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Steve Nash.
But they were the team you didn’t want to see in May or June. They played the long game-moving the ball, making the extra pass, defending with purpose, and trusting the system.
It was beautiful basketball, even if it wasn’t always branded that way.
Now, under the guidance of Mitch Johnson and with Wembanyama as the centerpiece, there’s a new energy in the air. There’s flash.
There’s flair. But the core principles haven’t changed.
The ball still moves. The defense still locks in.
And players still sacrifice for the greater good.
Even Shaquille O’Neal, never one to throw around praise lightly-especially when it comes to the Spurs-has taken notice.
“I hate to say it, but the system may be back,” Shaq admitted. “They were gone for a long time, but they may be back.”
That system he’s talking about? It’s the same one that dismantled the Miami Heat’s superteam in the 2014 Finals.
The same one that’s built on relentless ball movement, suffocating defense, and a team-first mentality that wears opponents down possession after possession. You can’t outrun the basketball, and few teams understand that better than San Antonio.
In San Antonio, passing isn’t optional-it’s essential. Gregg Popovich made that clear for decades, and Mitch Johnson seems to be following that same gospel.
If you can’t move the ball, you won’t see the floor. It’s that simple.
And now, after years of transition, fans who’ve been waiting for the return of the Beautiful Game can finally exhale. The wait is over.
The Spurs aren’t just building for the future-they’re channeling the past. And if this group continues to buy in the way they have, the league may be looking at a familiar problem: how do you beat a team that doesn’t care who gets the credit?
The Spurs are back. Maybe not in full just yet-but the foundation is here, and it looks awfully familiar.