Victor Wembanyama keeps finding new ways to look impossible.
On Friday night at Frost Bank Arena, the San Antonio Spurs center put his full toolbox on display against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Cup, and the sequence in the third quarter said plenty. After a Warriors turnover, Wembanyama pushed the break himself, handling the ball with surprising finesse for a 7-foot-4 player before dropping a perfect lob to Stephon Castle for the reverse slam.
Good luck trying to defend that.
The play fit the larger picture with Wembanyama, who continues to pile up production while showing off a game that seems to expand every season. The 22-year-old has built his rise on more than just size and length. He has kept adding to his game each offseason, including the mental side, and that work has turned him into a generational talent.
Coming into the matchup with Golden State, the two-time All-Star was averaging 30.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and a league-leading 4.4 blocks.
That kind of start is why plenty of people pegged him as the MVP favorite before the season. So far, he has backed up that label. After losing to the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals in June, Wembanyama has been on a mission, and he has not taken that defeat lightly.
At the time of writing, San Antonio held a comfortable lead over the Warriors in the fourth quarter, with Wembanyama already up to 12 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks. His mix of size, skill, and feel keeps making the same point over and over: he is built to be a force for a long time.
In Other News...
Wembanyamas Reaction To Draymond Said Plenty About These Spurs
Victor Wembanyama did not turn Draymond Greens flagrant 1 into a bigger storyline after the Spurs NBA Cup win over the Warriors, even though Green was assessed the foul for pushing him from behind. Wembanyamas postgame comments kept the focus where San Antonio seems happiest to keep it right now, on the result and not the collision that briefly punctuated it.
The Spurs kept rolling with their 11th straight victory and stayed unbeaten in NBA Cup group play, a stretch that has them looking increasingly comfortable in every kind of game. Wembanyamas reaction fit the mood around the team: no need to linger on the noise when the winning keeps piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Former Spurs Star Dejounte Murray Lands In Another Messy Situation
Dejounte Murray is back in the middle of uncertainty, this time in New Orleans, where he has asked the Pelicans to move him and both the team and his agent are working through the request. The former Spurs guard has also been dealing with a left ankle sprain, which kept him out of a recent NBA Cup game and added another layer of frustration to a stint that has never really found steady footing.
Since arriving in New Orleans in 2024, Murray has been limited by injuries and has appeared in just 54 games, though he has still produced when available with 16.6 points, 6.6 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game. For a player who was supposed to help anchor the Pelicans' backcourt, the latest twist only deepens the sense that his time there may be headed toward another reset. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Young Core Just Sent A Message Against Golden State
Stephen Currys absence was a big part of the setup, but the Spurs made sure the spotlight stayed on them anyway. San Antonio came out flying against Golden State, scored the first 18 points and never really let the game drift, with Stefon Castle setting the tone in a big way as he poured in a season-high 32 points.
For a young Spurs group still trying to establish its identity, it was the kind of night that felt bigger than one regular-season win. Golden State never found much rhythm, shooting just 25% in the first half and fading into a loss that left the Warriors at 1-1 in NBA Cup group play, while San Antonio walked away with a performance that looked like a message as much as a result. [Read more 🡒]