A hulking but quiet determine, it was about time Victor Wembanyama roared.
Although he’s the largest participant within the NBA — one of many tallest the league has ever seen — he’s often all chunk and no bark. He’s as inconspicuous as he will be as he casts an inescapable shadow throughout the courtroom.
“I used to be simply pleased with being a Spur in that second,” he mentioned.
For the primary time within the franchise’s storied historical past, the San Antonio Spurs are 5-0. Led by Wembanyama’s season-high 18 rebounds together with 27 factors, six assists and 5 blocks, the Spurs beat the red-hot Miami Warmth 107-101.
The Spurs had been the one group that didn’t have a five-game profitable streak for the reason that begin of the ’20-21 season. However issues are completely different in San Antonio now.
Regardless of the absence of former All-Star De’Aaron Fox — who is anticipated to make his season debut quickly after recovering from a hamstring pressure — the Spurs have been off to their strongest begin ever due to their aggressive guard play and Wembanyama’s inevitable dominance.
The Spurs’ excellent begin owes some gratitude to what was a simple schedule heading into Thursday night time. However when prognosticating their trajectory for this season, take into account the sobering actuality: Wemby just isn’t enjoying that nicely.
GO SPURS GOOOO 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/sQW1iIuD1X
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 31, 2025
After a declarative opening night time efficiency in Dallas, the place he scored 40 factors in opposition to one of many NBA’s finest entrance courts, Wembanyama has not performed with fairly the extent of constant ferocity and management. However his huge measurement benefit and improved really feel on the ball have allowed him to chip away on the protection over the course of an evening, routinely ending with a few of the finest statistical performances within the league.
His numbers point out he’s enjoying at an MVP stage. However watching the video games, he and his teammates have a variety of room for enchancment. This 5-0 group just isn’t near the most effective the Spurs will be, even this season.
Fox’s absence is turning into extra obvious as time goes on. The half-court offense is lacking a connective dynamism, one thing Steph Fortress and Dylan Harper can’t do fairly but, regardless of their spectacular drives to the rim. The spacing round Wembanyama’s post-ups has been sluggish at instances, in order that they don’t zip swing passes across the again of the protection like an actual contender.
Wembanyama is having extra bother caring for the ball in transition as groups get extra tape to scout him and work out his vulnerabilities. His shot choice nonetheless wants work and he has to start out taking 3s with confidence. At instances, he seems to be like he’s virtually testing out his powers to deal with his growth somewhat than making the play that is smart at this time.
That they’re profitable anyway is the crux of this promising paradox brewing in San Antonio. What’s Wembanyama proper now? What are the Spurs? They’ve discovered an identification, however they’re nonetheless uncovering its depth.
This 5-0 begin ought to be checked out extra as a goalpost than a declaration. The takeaway from this second shouldn’t be how their system is working or how prepared Wemby is for the massive present. The glue holding this collectively is the enjoyable they’re having and the way it’s pushing them to chase extra.
There are 17 gamers on the roster attempting to know how they revolve round Wembanyama. Copernicus wouldn’t have had a lot bother convincing folks 500 years in the past that the Earth orbits across the solar in the event that they watched a Wemby put up up. He’s not the primary participant with transcendent gravity, however he makes use of it in a definite approach. He’s solely beginning to get in contact together with his gravitational pull.
He typically speaks of a puzzle wherein he’s the largest piece, however he understands he’s nonetheless only a piece. You don’t get the picture on the field with out putting each little factor as a substitute.
That’s why you get moments like these, the place he invitations the entire puzzle on stage.
“It feels unbelievable. That is years of labor for all of us,” Wembanyama mentioned after the win. “Now, (that we’re) lastly attempting to get the maturity to get precise wins with our followers, it feels nice.”Wembanyama doesn’t put up to his Instagram fairly often. The final put up he made was on the planet’s longest Louis Vuitton match, a hospital gown right down to his ankles emblazoned with the LV emblem, taken from his preseason bodily.
That was almost two months in the past. A lot has occurred within the meantime. He’s made it again to the ground, gotten his wind, racked up some blocks and notched some wins.Now that he can say he was the chief of — no, a giant a part of — the most effective begin in franchise historical past, he posted on Instagram once more after returning dwelling. It was a photograph of the puzzle standing collectively, however this shot was completely different.
Nearly all the opposite posts on his web page put him entrance and middle. This time, he selected a shot of Keldon Johnson on the mic, trying proper into digicam regardless of it being so distant.
Johnson at all times is aware of find out how to placed on a present, whether or not he’s with a number of reporters within the locker room or in entrance of an area of almost 20,000 folks. He’s the jovial character who makes it enjoyable to come back to work. Wembanyama is aware of he’s the presence that makes it essential to come back to work.
So Wembanyama posted this picture not simply with Johnson on the middle, however with Wembanyama not even the tallest participant in body. The attitude makes Jeremy Sochan look a bit taller than him. Kelly Olynyk is simply on the fringe of the body, towering over them. However their celebrity has demonstrated that he doesn’t should be the largest particular person in body always.
Wembanyama reveals he understands find out how to share the highlight so nicely whereas nonetheless filling his area. He’s been enjoying for the move in addition to any non-point guard to come back into the league with this fanfare in years. He’s doing it off the ground as nicely.
Nice gamers typically face moments once they really feel let down by their group. Entrance workplaces work arduous to stop these moments from ever taking place. The Spurs proper now are within the excellent alignment the place Wembanyama nonetheless has a methods to go in his progress and the group is at an identical stage rising into itself each round him and thru him.
The important thing for the Spurs is that they’re all pointing in the suitable route. Wins have introduced them pleasure. Losses will take that away. Can they decide to their course of? Can Wembanyama’s progress outpace defenses catching as much as him? How transformative will Fox’s and Sochan’s returns be?
It’s uncommon a group combating for the league’s finest document is such a query mark. However questions are good. They make you suppose. They make you higher. The Spurs have rather a lot to study this 12 months. The basketball world is tuned in, fascinated by the reply.
“Now we have a purpose in thoughts and we plan on doing all of it collectively,” Johnson mentioned. “It’s a protracted season. 82 video games have ups and downs. However so long as we keep collectively, have one another’s again, I believe we’ll be tremendous.”
This group has been studying, learning, getting ready for this chance. That is their second, even when it’s not the decisive one. There will probably be many extra moments forward over the following decade. This profitable streak was essentially the most profitable second of Wembanyama’s profession to date. It was for Johnson, Fortress, Harper and anybody else whose NBA journey was born in San Antonio.
Keep in mind, they hadn’t seen a five-game profitable streak for the reason that pandemic. This second was years within the making, which is what makes it so candy.
“Wouldn’t need it every other approach,” Johnson mentioned. “It feels good to be profitable. Greatest feeling on the planet.”
