Draymond Green’s “frontrunner” warning about Victor Wembanyama doesn’t really hold up against what Wembanyama has already said.
Green suggested it would feel “frontrunner-ish” if the star avoided talking about his NBA Finals loss and instead leaned on it as motivation. But Wembanyama has already shown where his mind is. The Finals are still there, still lingering, and they appear to matter more to him right now than any individual award.
When asked a few days ago about the MVP trophy this season, Wembanyama made his priorities pretty clear.
“It’s a big goal this year, but coming off a Finals loss, it’s not the first thing on my mind”- Wembanyama told Maxime Aubin.
That doesn’t sound like someone trying to dodge responsibility or coast on last season’s success. Yes, Wembanyama spent part of the Finals talking trash, and yes, that included the memorable “in your head” celebration that got under New York Knicks fans’ skin. But he also owned the result and made it clear that June is still driving him.
That’s what separates a star who’s just collecting praise from one who actually wants to level up. Wembanyama has plenty left to clean up, especially on offense, and that part of his game is still a work in progress this early in his career. The point, though, is that nobody should be doubting his motivation.
Now comes the harder part: turning that mindset into production.
The Knicks showed the issues that can still slow him down, and Wembanyama has to prove those same offensive limitations won’t follow him into this season. He needs to handle physical defenders better, get to his spots, and create easier, more efficient looks as a scorer. That matters for him individually, but it matters just as much for the Spurs, who need their best player to be effective on that end if they want to move closer to a championship in June.
The mentality is already there. The next test is whether he can turn the lessons from that Finals loss into real growth on the court.
In Other News...
Spurs Are Building Something In Austin Fans Can't Ignore
The Spurs have been making a very visible push up the road in Austin, and it has gone well beyond the usual outreach pitch. Through community engagement and growing ties with the University of Texas athletics department, the organization has steadily built a presence that feels deliberate, not accidental, with the Longhorns basketball program becoming a prominent part of that relationship. The connection has been strengthened by upcoming games and mutual support, giving San Antonio a foothold in a market that has plenty of basketball interest of its own.
Kevin Durants link to Texas only adds to the intrigue around that presence. The former Longhorn, now with the Houston Rockets, still has strong ties to the program and is expected to get a warm reception when he plays in Austin, a reminder of how much the city values its basketball roots. For the Spurs, the bigger picture is just as important, because their growing visibility there suggests they are trying to make Austin feel less like a neighbor and more like part of their basketball footprint. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama's New Deal Changes The Spurs' Castle And Harper Timeline
Victor Wembanyamas new five-year maximum rookie extension gives the Spurs a major financial anchor while also creating some breathing room around the rest of the roster. By reportedly coming in below the supermax, the deal is not just a headline number for San Antonios franchise centerpiece, it also changes the way the team can plan around him, especially as it tries to keep young talent together.
That flexibility matters because the Spurs are already thinking about the next layer of their core, with Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper both part of the broader roster-construction picture. A contract of this size for Wembanyama would normally tighten the screws elsewhere, but in this case it opens the door for San Antonio to explore market-value extensions and build with more options as those decisions come due. [Read more 🡒]
Tim Duncans Final Spurs Years Look Even Rarer Right Now
Tim Duncans late-career run with the Spurs is looking even more unusual in the context of modern NBA aging curves. While other stars like Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant spent their final years on teams that had clearly slipped out of true contention, Duncan kept San Antonio winning at a high clip and in the playoff picture right through the back end of his career.
That contrast feels especially sharp as Stephen Curry and the Warriors navigate an uneven start to this season. Curry has not suggested retirement, and Golden State still has plenty of time to turn things around, but the broader point is hard to miss: Duncans ability to stay attached to a consistently strong team deep into his career remains a rare standard for the league. [Read more 🡒]