How Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs transformed challenges into victories
NOW IN HIS third NBA season, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has aged out of the Rising Stars competition at All-Star weekend. However, the 7-foot-5 star still made a significant impact during last Friday’s events.
Spurs rookie Dylan Harper positioned himself near half court for the tipoff of Game 1 of the 2026 Rising Stars event, engaging in a physical tussle with New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen as an official hurried over to separate them.
Queen reacted by lunging forward. Harper was unfazed.
As the Pelicans’ rookie attempted to push Harper with his left arm, the Spurs’ guard seized it with a look of disdain and forcefully brought it down just as the ball was thrown up, displaying a competitive spirit rarely witnessed at All-Star events — inspired by Wembanyama’s attitude towards the festivities in Los Angeles.
A Spurs staff member later quipped that Harper and teammates Stephon Castle and Carter Bryant — all participants in the Rising Stars — felt the Frenchman’s energy during their flight to Los Angeles and responded in kind. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards also acknowledged Wembanyama’s intensity, stating that the two-time All-Star “set the tone” for an All-Star Game that was notably competitive.
“I’ve always thought that if I was in [the All-Star Game], I would never step onto the court to lose or not [play hard],” Wembanyama remarked prior to the weekend. “I believe it’s [not] acceptable to lose. I’m going to be out there. I might as well win.”
Wembanyama and the Spurs aim to maintain that same mindset as they approach the final 27 games of the season, striving for the team’s first playoff appearance since 2019. That pursuit resumed Thursday night with a 121-94 “home” victory in Austin, Texas, against the Phoenix Suns, nearly a year after championship aspirations nearly faded in San Antonio.
On what sources described as a frightening and emotional day filled with uncertainty within the organization, it was announced on Feb. 20 that the Spurs would be sidelining Wembanyama for the remainder of the season after doctors diagnosed the young star with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
This unfortunate turn of events marked just one instance of adversity in a 2024-25 NBA season rife with challenges. It began with Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich suffering a stroke before a game less than 10 days into the season, leaving then-38-year-old assistant Mitch Johnson in charge. Later, a game postponement in January forced the Spurs to remain in hotel rooms in Santa Monica and later downtown Los Angeles, as smoke from wildfires in Malibu and Pacific Palisades began to encroach on their location.
In addition to sidelining Wembanyama, the Spurs also held back trade deadline acquisition De’Aaron Fox, who underwent season-ending surgery last March to repair tendon damage in his injured left pinkie, resulting in the team missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year after finishing with a 34-48 record.
A season later, the Spurs boast the league’s third-best record (39-16) and a 13-7 record against the NBA’s other nine teams with winning percentages of .600 or better (Detroit is the only team in this group that San Antonio has yet to face) as they head into Saturday’s game against the struggling Sacramento Kings at the Moody Center on the University of Texas campus. The Spurs’ swift turnaround seems incredible — to everyone, except Wembanyama.
“Not hard to believe, no,” he stated. “Because I’ve seen everyone put in the effort. I’ve witnessed everyone make sacrifices. [It’s] very believable but doesn’t mean it was easy by any means.”
WEMBANYAMA’S FIRST ALL-STAR weekend had not been particularly favorable. San Antonio had lost four of six road games leading up to the break last year, and Wembanyama’s schedule in San Francisco proved challenging. He scored 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the championship of the league’s mini-tournament that replaced the traditional All-Star Game, although the effort level from the other players on the court was lacking.
Wembanyama mentioned feeling fatigued after the Spurs’ final game before the All-Star break, a 116-103 defeat to the Boston Celtics. He had experienced similar symptoms at the beginning of the trip on Feb. 3 in Memphis, but attributed it to a bug he had been trying to overcome.
“I think it played a part, not 100% of course,” Wembanyama said following Thursday’s victory over the Suns. “But I mean I was 21 and still learning, still developing my conditioning. So, it doesn’t explain everything, but I think it explains a lot. I was feeling very, very unwell in the weeks leading up to my diagnosis.”
While in Wyoming for a brief break after All-Star weekend, Wembanyama began to experience discomfort and swelling in his right arm, prompting him to notify the team’s medical staff. Upon his return, the staff conducted a series of tests, which revealed a blood clot. This diagnosis left Wembanyama in shock, forcing him to contemplate his health both on and off the court.
“I remember last year’s All-Star Game was the worst I had ever felt on a basketball court in my life because, I mean, I had maybe 5% of blood flow in my right arm,” Wembanyama recounted.
Amidst taking blood-thinning medication, attending doctor appointments, and adhering to a rigorous rehabilitation regimen, Wembanyama resolved to push himself physically and mentally through unconventional means after enduring this experience he described as “traumatic.” He also aimed to ensure he was enjoying many of the opportunities that his rising stardom provided.
Thus, in addition to hosting a chess tournament at his court in Le Chesnay, France over the summer, Wembanyama traveled to Costa Rica and Tokyo, where he played soccer. He visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center and spent 10 days at a Shaolin temple in Zhengzhou, China, engaging in soul-searching while practicing kung fu and meditation with monks.
Wembanyama also consulted with Hall of Fame big men Kevin Garnett and Hakeem Olajuwon to gain insights from their experiences.
He would not officially return to play for the Spurs until the Oct. 6 preseason opener.
“It was really just a sad time,” Johnson said Wednesday, shortly after the team’s arrival in Austin. “There was so much uncertainty. At first, there was no discussion about basketball. It was about health. It was about well-being. It was truly a flat moment for us. It was not long after we acquired De’Aaron, and I think they played five games together.”
It was sunny on the morning of the Wembanyama announcement, with a brisk wind and temperatures around the mid-30s. Spurs CEO R.C. Buford stood alone in the gym at Moody Center in Austin, observing as the players arrived for shootaround ahead of a matchup against the Suns. Every player was present except for San Antonio’s tallest. Reporters immediately began asking questions. The club’s public relations staff retreated to another room to determine the best way to communicate the news that would be revealed shortly.
A 26-point performance by Fox that night in only his sixth game with the team propelled San Antonio to a 120-109 victory. In the hallway leaving the arena, Fox expressed regret as he departed Moody Center toward the team bus.
“We were ready to hit the ground running, and then you get news like that,” he said. “It is definitely a tough thing to overcome because of the production he provided us.”
San Antonio would lose 19 of its last 30 games, including 11 of the 18 games Fox missed. Wembanyama utilized the time away to rehabilitate and reflect before embarking on a transformative summer in preparation for this season.
JOHNSON FIRST JOINED San Antonio as an assistant in 2016 for the team’s Austin G League affiliate, the same year the Spurs selected current Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray with the 29th pick.
Johnson had been working with Murray since the point guard was 15. Therefore, when the Spurs began evaluating Murray, Johnson also caught the organization’s attention due to his coaching and communication skills.
“He’s going to be a head coach in this league for a long time,” Murray told ESPN. “He’s got the work ethic, the intelligence, the patience. He played the game. He checks every box, man. He’s not shy. He’s comfortable in any room he’s in. I still keep in contact [with Spurs players]. They appreciate him.”
So did the organization’s leadership after observing how Johnson managed the ups and downs of a tumultuous season while filling in for Popovich and guiding San Antonio through the challenges that led to the early ends of the season for Wembanyama and Fox, even without a full complement of assistants. Once the 2024-25 season concluded, the organization felt confident, according to sources, in what Johnson could achieve with a complete staff, a healthy Fox and Wembanyama, and an offseason to implement his own strategies and style of play.
The Spurs removed Johnson’s title of acting head coach in May, officially naming him the franchise’s 19th coach while allowing him to assemble a staff of assistants led by associate head coach and defensive specialist Sean Sweeney.
Throughout all the tumultuous times, dating back to even before Popovich suffered the stroke, Johnson had earned the players’ trust to coach them just as firmly as his predecessor. During a Spurs loss earlier this season in Memphis, the gravel-voiced Johnson shouted from the bench: “Get a f—ing rebound!”
“Pop kept it honest,” said forward Keldon Johnson, the longest-tenured member of the Spurs who is in his seventh season with the team. “And Mitch would always keep it real with me, not sugarcoat it, tell me when I’m wrong but also give you that praise. I feel like that builds trust. He’s earned that trust to be able to coach us, challenge us, and elicit the right response and motivate us.”
This has enabled the 39-year-old to coach in his first NBA All-Star event in his first full season as head coach. However, Johnson believes that none of his personal success or the team’s achievements would have been possible without the hardships faced during the challenging 2024-25 season.
“Last year there was so much, and it was new for me, unplanned or prepared by me that I didn’t know anything other than just trying to get through that day or what we were going through,” Johnson remarked.
DESPITE FINISHING FIVE games out of the play-in race a season ago, the organization remained quietly optimistic about San Antonio’s capacity to compete with any team in the NBA. Sources within the organization over the summer highlighted Johnson’s unwavering leadership in the face of adversity as one reason. However, the more significant factor was the return of the team’s two stars, particularly the big man on whom they have pinned their hopes for the future.
When the club sidelined Wembanyama last season, he was the clear frontrunner for NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Despite appearing in only 46 games, he still concluded the season as the league’s leader in total blocks. This season, he has continued where he left off, averaging a career-high 24.4 points while shooting 51.1% from the field and 36.3% from 3-point range, both of which are also the best figures of his young career.
Moreover, his chemistry with Fox, whom the Spurs acquired from Sacramento after he specifically expressed a desire to play with Wembanyama, has significantly improved. Wembanyama and Fox logged a total of 120 minutes together last season over five games with the Spurs, achieving a net rating of minus-2.4 during that span.
This season, when the duo is on the court together, San Antonio’s record stands at 22-9, with Wembanyama and Fox generating a net efficiency of plus-10.9 in 645 minutes, according to ESPN Research. Although the Spurs rank 29th in on-ball screens and handoffs per 100 possessions, they average 1.25 points per direct play when Wembanyama sets an on-ball screen or handoff for Fox, ranking fourth in efficiency among combinations that have executed 150 or more plays together, according to GeniusIQ.
Additionally, there is the return and ongoing development of Castle, the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year. After shooting 42.8% last season, he has improved to 46.4% this season, demonstrating enhanced efficiency with the same number of shots per game. Keldon Johnson, a candidate for NBA Sixth Man of the Year, and starting small forward Devin Vassell are entering their primes at ages 26 and 25, respectively.
San Antonio’s 2025 draft picks — Harper at No. 2 and Bryant at No. 14 — are also making significant contributions. It appears that most of the roster is, given that the Spurs’ rotation includes 10 players who have participated in 40-plus games this season. San Antonio is one of four teams that have had at least 10 players play at least 40 games this season, alongside the Utah Jazz, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics, according to ESPN Research.
The Spurs’ depth mitigates the impact the club faces during the minutes without Wembanyama. At the All-Star break last season, San Antonio recorded a net efficiency of minus-7.9 with Wembanyama off the court. This season, the Spurs’ net efficiency without Wembanyama is plus-1.0. When Wembanyama missed 12 games due to a left calf strain earlier this season, the Spurs achieved a 9-3 record.
“I don’t believe we’re ahead of schedule at all,” Bryant stated. “I think we’re just going to keep rolling.”
As he considers what lies ahead over the next 27 games, Wembanyama appeared eager — almost excited — having led the Spurs to an 11-5 record against teams currently in the top six of the Western Conference. San Antonio has suffered only three losses against Eastern Conference teams.
“Only one way to find out,” he said. “But just like anything, what’s going to happen is going to happen. There will be some good. There will be some bad. It’s about how we respond to everything.”
The Spurs have demonstrated this throughout the season, rebounding from a challenging 2024-25 campaign that ultimately left Wembanyama introspective and the organization’s leadership contemplating the club’s future during the summer.
Yet through it all, Mitch Johnson remains convinced that San Antonio would not be in its current position without those difficult experiences.
“I do think now, and I think probably more as time goes on, [last season] probably served as a vehicle for this team to be as close as we are,” Johnson said. “We’ve had a lot of unique, rare experiences. We’ve encountered situations that fostered a lot of time together and prompted events that typically inspire deeper conversations; things that encourage reflection on life or experiences you’ve [gone] through. So, I do believe it has played a role in this group’s journey even though it isn’t necessarily directly related to basketball.”
