The doubts were loud. Was Mitch Johnson ready for the big chair?
Could this team shoot well enough to compete? Was De’Aaron Fox the kind of player who could actually lead a winning team?
The talk around San Antonio heading into the season was filled with skepticism. Trade one of the guards, some said.
Blow it up and start over, others insisted. But here we are, and those takes are aging like milk.
Since Victor Wembanyama landed in San Antonio, the spotlight’s been bright-and so has the scrutiny. But what’s unfolding now isn’t some overnight success story. It’s the result of years of deliberate development and a franchise that, even in transition, never lost its identity.
Let’s be clear: the Spurs aren’t the kind of team you lump in with the NBA’s long-suffering franchises. This isn’t New Orleans or Washington, where dysfunction has become part of the brand.
San Antonio’s foundation has always been different. And even after Gregg Popovich stepped away, the structure he built didn’t crumble-it evolved.
Mitch Johnson, now leading the charge, didn’t walk into chaos. He inherited a culture rooted in player development, accountability, and long-term vision. And that’s showing up across the roster.
Keldon Johnson’s breakout isn’t a fluke-it’s the payoff
Keldon Johnson has found his lane, and he’s thriving in it. This version of Keldon is locked in-efficient, confident, and playing within himself.
He’s not forcing the issue anymore. He’s picking his spots, making smart decisions, and bringing energy off the bench that screams Sixth Man of the Year potential.
The talent was always there. What we’re seeing now is the maturity to match it.
And then there’s Devin Vassell. After a bumpy stretch last season, he’s back to the steady, ascending player Spurs fans have come to expect.
His development had been linear until that dip, but now the rhythm is back. He’s defending, shooting with confidence, and doing all the little things that make this team hum.
Last season’s record didn’t tell the full story
It’s easy to look at the 34-win campaign and shrug. But context matters.
San Antonio was 16-15 heading into January last season. They were right there, playing competitive basketball and turning heads.
Then the wheels came off. Popovich’s sudden departure hit hard.
The schedule toughened up. Wembanyama got hurt.
It was a perfect storm of setbacks.
But that rough stretch didn’t erase the progress. It just masked it.
The foundation was still solid. The system was still in place.
The development never stopped-it just got overshadowed.
This isn’t skipping steps-it’s the next step
Now, with a healthier roster and a clearer identity, the Spurs are showing what this rebuild has really been about. It’s not about skipping steps or catching lightning in a bottle. It’s about a franchise that trusted its process, even when the results didn’t show up right away.
Popovich said it for years: development takes time. It’s not linear.
It’s not always pretty. But when you do it the right way, the payoff comes.
And that’s what we’re seeing now.
San Antonio didn’t suddenly become good. They’ve been building toward this. The pieces are starting to click, the roles are better defined, and the belief is back-not just from the fans, but from the players themselves.
This team is no longer a question mark. They’re an exclamation point in the making.