Victor Wembanyama does more than just protect the paint - he protects the Spurs from their past mistakes.
On the court, the 7-foot-5 phenom is a one-man safety net. When perimeter defenders get beat, Wemby’s there to clean it up, turning high-percentage looks into second thoughts.
But his value to San Antonio goes well beyond blocks and altered shots. Off the court, Wembanyama is covering up a string of front office misfires that might’ve sunk another franchise.
Case in point: the Spurs just waived Jeremy Sochan, their top pick from the 2022 NBA Draft. That move officially wipes the 2021 and 2022 draft classes off the current roster. And if we’re being honest, the 2019 draft didn’t age too well either.
Sochan, the No. 9 overall pick two years ago, showed flashes but never quite locked in a consistent role. Leading up to the trade deadline, San Antonio listed him on the injury report nightly - a move that looked more strategic than medical.
There was some thought he might stick around post-deadline, especially with the Spurs in the thick of the playoff race. But instead, the team cut ties.
Thank You Jeremy pic.twitter.com/5HKRFGW60X
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 11, 2026
Sochan played in 28 of San Antonio’s 53 games this season, averaging 4.1 points, 2.6 boards, and just over an assist in 12.8 minutes per game. Over his three and a half seasons in silver and black, he averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.
Sochan was the face of a 2022 draft class that included three first-round picks. Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley, taken 20th and 25th respectively, were both shipped to Washington this past offseason in the deal that brought in veteran big man Kelly Olynyk.
Kennedy Chandler, a second-rounder that year, never made the rotation. When the dust settled, the Spurs were left with zero long-term assets from a draft that once looked like a potential core.
The 2021 draft? Arguably worse.
San Antonio used the 12th pick on Josh Primo - a high-upside swing as the youngest college player in that class. Primo spent most of his rookie season with the G League’s Austin Spurs before the team abruptly released him in October 2022.
Allegations soon surfaced that Primo had exposed himself to multiple women, and his NBA future remains uncertain. Joe Wieskamp, another 2021 pick, was waived the following summer.
That’s a full draft class - gone.
Even the 2019 draft, which brought in Keldon Johnson at pick 29, started with a miss. The Spurs used the 19th pick on Luka Šamanić, a 6-foot-10 forward with upside who never quite found his footing. After two seasons, he was waived just before the 2021-22 season tipped off.
It’s not hard to play the “what-if” game with those picks. Players like Trey Murphy III, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Johnson, Jalen Williams, Walker Kessler, and Jalen Duren were all on the board when San Antonio made their selections. But hindsight is undefeated, and the truth is, if the Spurs had nailed those picks, they likely wouldn’t have been in position to land Wembanyama in the first place.
That’s the paradox of rebuilding in the NBA. Sometimes, the road to a generational talent is paved with busted picks and short-term pain. And now, just a few years removed from a bottom-of-the-barrel finish, San Antonio heads into the All-Star break with the second-best record in the West.
The turnaround didn’t happen by accident. The Spurs nailed the 2024 draft, adding Stephon Castle with the second overall pick (who later became Dylan Harper). Add in some smart roster moves and a front office that’s finally found its rhythm, and suddenly this team looks built to last.
Wembanyama may be the face of the franchise, but he’s also the foundation. And thanks to him, the Spurs’ recent draft misfires are becoming footnotes - not defining chapters.