Victor Wembanyama’s rise has been so fast, so loud and so public that it’s easy to forget how quickly the mood around him turned. By the time the 2026 NBA Finals rolled around, the Spurs star had gone from one of the league’s most easy-to-root-for figures to the guy plenty of fans wanted to see knocked down a peg.
That shift didn’t happen by accident. Wembanyama’s confidence during the Finals crossed a line for a lot of people, especially with the way he kept talking as if San Antonio’s title was already a done deal. At the same time, he was piling up a heavy number of flagrant fouls, most of which went uncalled by officials or unaddressed by the league.
The result was a dramatic flip in public opinion. The player who had once been embraced as a rare blend of size, skill and charisma suddenly looked like the villain of the series. And with the Knicks winning their first title in 53 years, New York became the kind of feel-good champion a lot of viewers were happy to get behind.
Wembanyama didn’t help his case with the way he played the role of the unstoppable star. Even with the Spurs trailing three games to one, he carried himself like the Knicks were only a brief obstacle on the way to his own coronation. That mix of cheap shots and arrogance left a mark.
The bigger concern for San Antonio now is what Wembanyama brings into 2026-2027. Last offseason, there was no shortage of attention around his preparation.
He spent two weeks training with Shaolin monks in central China. He worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon.
He played chess. It was all very visible, very discussed, and very much part of the Wemby story.
This offseason has been quieter. Less noise, less public spectacle, and a lot less clarity about where his head is.
The talent is obvious. The challenge is whether he can pair that talent with the kind of humility and respect that keeps a great player from getting in his own way.
Elite players have to believe they can take over games. But if they go too far the other direction, that belief turns into something uglier. For Wembanyama, that balance may be the difference between being the face of the league and simply another star with unfinished business.
In Other News...
Spurs Have A Guard Logjam That Could Shape Their Next Few Years
Dylan Harpers first taste of Spurs basketball has only sharpened the conversation around a crowded backcourt. Jared Weiss of The Athletic noted that Harper looked good coming off the bench, but San Antonio already has a clear lead guard in DeAaron Fox, whose place in the starting lineup is secure after signing a four-year maximum extension last summer. That leaves the Spurs with a rotation that is suddenly deep, young and full of overlap at the guard spots.
For now, the bigger question is not whether Harper can help, but how the Spurs sort out their long-term guard core. Scouts around the league see Harper and Stephon Castle as key pieces of the franchises future, with both expected to be part of the organizations plans for the foreseeable future. The challenge for San Antonio is the kind most teams would welcome, though it still invites plenty of debate about who gets the ball, who develops fastest and how the roster eventually settles around its emerging talent. [Read more 🡒]
Keldon Johnson May Be Entering A Make-Or-Break Spurs Season
Keldon Johnson heads toward the new season in a more uncertain spot than he has occupied in years with the Spurs. After a summer in which San Antonio extended Julian Champagnie and brought in Tobias Harris, the roster has a different shape around him, and the minutes he has long counted on at power forward may not be as secure as they once were.
For Johnson, the early part of the season could tell the story. His place in the rotation, and perhaps his standing with the franchise, may hinge on how much he plays once games start to matter, especially if the Spurs keep exploring the trade market as the deadline approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs May Finally Have The Depth Wembanyama Has Needed
The Spurs spent the offseason making a clear point of emphasis around Victor Wembanyama, and it shows in how the roster is taking shape around him. Tobias Harris gives San Antonio another experienced frontcourt option, while Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Quaintance add more bodies and more size up front, changes that should give the team a lot more lineup flexibility than it had before.
For a club that has also built out a strong backcourt with De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, the appeal is obvious: fewer stopgap minutes and a better chance to stay afloat when Wembanyama is off the floor. Health and rest will always matter with a player this important, but the Spurs at least look better prepared to absorb those absences than they did a year ago. [Read more 🡒]