Victor Wembanyama’s rise has already reached the point where it’s influencing the people around him, and Evan Fournier says that includes him.
The San Antonio Spurs star is now three years into his NBA career and getting ready for Year 4, with the spotlight firmly on him as a possible future face of the league and of international basketball. On the FIBA stage, Wembanyama has also become the centerpiece for France, most recently leading the national team at the 2024 Olympics, where France took silver behind Team USA.
That presence matters to Fournier, who is with Wembanyama on France’s roster as the team works through qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Qatar. In an interview with Le'Quipe, Fournier made clear that Wembanyama’s approach has given him a reason to keep going.
“He's a global megastar, but day-to-day, he's a great guy, focused on others, who really wants to perform. The fact that he's here, I won't lie, has been a motivation for me to keep going. Seeing a kid who wants to achieve things and puts in the work is inspiring… I don't want to come just for the sake of coming,” Fournier said.
For France, Wembanyama is the player they’ll keep building around as he continues to grow. For San Antonio, the expectation is even bigger: the Spurs want him to carry them back to the top of the NBA.
The franchise is coming off a 62-20 season that earned the second seed in the Western Conference, finishing ahead of both the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers. From there, San Antonio put together its deepest playoff run since 2014, beating the Portland Trail Blazers in five games, the Minnesota Timberwolves in six, and the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven before losing to the New York Knicks in five games in the NBA Finals.
In Other News...
Spurs Preseason Opener Could Settle Two Heated Rotation Debates
The Spurs are heading into preseason with more than just a tune-up in mind. The Oct. 8 opener against the Atlanta Hawks should give the first real hint of how coach Mitch Johnson wants to sort through a roster with several moving parts, and the early lineup choices will be watched closely after a summer spent reshaping the teams identity.
What makes this first look especially interesting is that San Antonio still has two spots that feel genuinely unsettled. One centers on the lead guard role, where the team has options with different styles, and another sits at power forward, where the mix of youth and veteran presence could push the rotation in different directions. Preseason games do not settle everything, but this one could reveal which way Johnson is leaning before the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A Tough Backcourt Decision They Cant Avoid
San Antonios guard rotation suddenly has a lot more weight on it than it did a year ago. With DeAaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper all in the mix, the Spurs are facing the kind of backcourt squeeze that can shape not just the starting lineup, but the way the whole roster is built around Victor Wembanyama. Fox remains an important piece because of his contract and what he can still bring when he is right, while Castles development and Harpers strong rookie season have only tightened the competition for minutes.
The tension is obvious: the Spurs still have faith in Fox, but they also have to decide what matters most, patience or production. If Fox does not come back quickly from the postseason and Finals struggles that raised real questions, the pressure will only grow to lean harder into Harpers rise and let him take on a bigger role. For a team trying to win sooner rather than later, this is not a depth-chart debate they can simply wait out. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Gives The Spurs A Defensive Edge The NBA May Copy
Victor Wembanyamas defense has already changed the way opponents attack the rim, but the Spurs are getting more than just deterrence when he steps into the paint. His blocks do not just erase possessions, they often keep the ball live, which gives San Antonio a chance to turn a stop into an immediate transition opportunity instead of a dead-ball reset. In a league where blocked shots so often end with the ball sailing out of bounds, that extra split-second of control has become part of what makes him so unusual.
The bigger question is whether that style catches on beyond San Antonio. If rim protectors around the NBA start valuing not only the block itself but also what happens next, Wembanyamas impact could reach past the Spurs and into how defenses are taught and built. It is one thing to have a rare talent who can do it naturally. It is another for the rest of the league to figure out how to copy the edge he is already creating. [Read more 🡒]