Browsing: Victor

The 2025-26 NBA season is here! We’re rolling out our previews — examining the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and win projections for all 30 franchises — from the still-rebuilding teams to the true title contenders.

2024-25 finish

• Record: 34-48 (13th in the West, missed playoffs)

Offseason moves

• Additions: Luke Kornet, Kelly Olynyk, Lindy Waters III, Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant, David Jones-Garcia

• Subtractions: Chris Paul, Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kam Jones, Charles Bassey, David Duke Jr.

(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

The Big Question: Is Victor Wembanyama ready to make his playoff debut?

Thatâ€s not exactly a mind-blowing shocker of a setup, Iâ€ll grant. San Antonioâ€s season will come down to whether or not its best player plays well enough to get the franchise back to the playoffs? Holy crap, dude — thanks for the scoop!

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What my framing lacks in surprise, though, it makes up for in, yâ€know, correctness. All the maneuvering thatâ€s taken place in the eight months since we last saw Wembanyama in live regular-season action — the signings, the draft picks, the hirings — only matters insofar as it allows the Spurs to maximize him and, in turn, allows him to maximize them. This whole revolutionâ€s only going as far as Wembanyama can push it.

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After a globetrotting side quest summer informed by the “traumatic experience†of being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder and his subsequent realization that “life isnâ€t forever,†it sure seems like the 7-foot-5 All-Star is eager to push it an awfully long way. What Wembanyama has described as a “brutal,†“violent†and “world-class†offseason of training that included instruction from legendary big men Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Garnett left him not only feeling ready for a return, but itching for one.

“I feel like I need to play basketball now,†he said at Spurs media day.

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As it turns out, watching him do that is still rad as hell …

… and inspires thoughts of the Spurs — fresh off maxing out trade-deadline acquisition Deâ€Aaron Fox, striking it rich in the 2025 NBA draft lottery with No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper, and opportunistically adding veteran helpers in free agency — advancing to the postseason for the first time in six years.

The path back to the playoffs starts on the defensive end, where the return of Wembanyama — whoâ€s led the NBA in blocks per game in each of his first two seasons, who finished fourth in defensive estimated plus-minus last year, and who was the odds-on favorite for Defensive Player of the Year before the season-ending blood-clot diagnosis — obviously looms exceptionally large.

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The Spurs allowed 112.4 points per 100 non-garbage-time possessions with Wembanyama on the floor last season — a top-eight mark in the league over the course of the full season. Without him, though, they gave up the store, conceding 121.6 points-per-100 in his absence — an abdication of resistance miles below what even the ghastly, league-worst Pelicans defense mustered. That 9.2 points-per-100 delta represented the second-largest on-court/off-court differential among defenders who logged at least 1,000 minutes last season, according to Cleaning the Glass, behind only Pascal Siakam in Indianapolis. Shoring up the defensive infrastructure around and, crucially, behind Wembanyama is Job No. 1 in San Antonio.

“This is non-negotiable,” Wembanyama told reporters on media day. “It’s not something you can’t do if you want to be part of our team. We are going to hold each other accountable. We know the coach is going to hold us accountable. It doesn’t matter your status — defense is non-negotiable.”

Thereâ€s reason for optimism that the surrounding talent can live up to the big fellaâ€s expectations. Though not considered an elite point-of-attack defender, Fox boasts quick feet and quicker hands, leading the league in steals two seasons ago. Oft-injured sixth-year swingman Devin Vassell (6-5, 6-10 wingspan) and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (6-6, 6-9 wingspan) both have the tools to take a step forward on that end. When heâ€s cleared after rehabilitating from thumb surgery, Harper (6-5, 6-10 wingspan) also brings great positional size and prospective defensive versatility in the backcourt — and enough bravado to predict a playoff berth at his introductory post-draft press conference.

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[Get more Spurs news: San Antonio team feed]

Free-agent signing Luke Kornet blossomed into one of the NBAâ€s most underrated players during his tenure in Boston, due in large part to his rim protection. Opponents shot just 52.2% at the basket last season when Kornet was the closest defender — a top-10 mark among players to contest at least 200 up-close tries, according to Second Spectrum tracking. A few spots above him on that list? Wembanyama, at 50% even.

Expect now-firmly-entrenched head coach Mitch Johnson to experiment some with two-big lineups featuring both Wemby and Kornet, which have the potential to turn everything below the free-throw line into a no-fly zone … and also make a little high-low magic on the other end:

Extension-eligible forward Jeremy Sochan was miscast as a point guard and has yet to find firm offensive footing through three pro seasons, but heâ€s developing into one of the leagueâ€s most dogged, physical and versatile point-of-attack defenders — one of a number of intriguing pieces for newly imported associate head coach Sean Sweeney, who helped construct top-10-caliber defenses in Milwaukee, Detroit and Dallas, to move around the chessboard. (Itâ€ll be interesting to see if first-round pick Carter Bryant, who profiles as a potential central-casting 3-and-D addition, pushes his way into the decision-making calculus, too.)

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Leaning on the defense might be the best course of action for a Spurs team that scored at a below-league-average rate of efficiency even with Wembanyama on the floor last season, that enters the new campaign with a roster with relatively few proven plus shooters — Vassell, veteran power forward Harrison Barnes, reserve wing Julian Champagnie, new additions Kelly Olynyk and Lindy Waters III — and that will be relying heavily on a gaggle of guards with iffy-at-best long-range strokes. How quickly and effectively Wembanyama and Fox can develop chemistry after playing just 120 minutes together across five games last season could go a long way toward determining the ceiling of San Antonioâ€s offense … which makes Foxâ€s media-day revelation that he expects to miss opening night recovering from an offseason hamstring injury at least a little bit concerning, especially with Harper likewise coming off surgery to his shooting hand. (If Johnson responds by moving Castle to the point, and the UConn product shines in a larger on-ball role, an exciting but already somewhat murky pecking order in the Spurs†backcourt becomes even more interesting.)

The cure for whatâ€s ailed the offense, of course, could just wind up being an even stronger application of That Gigantic French Guy. NBA.comâ€s John Schuhmann noted that a mere 37% of Wembanyamaâ€s field-goal attempts last season came inside the paint — a function of Big Vicâ€s determination to explore the outer limits of his unicornic abilities, but also perhaps a misappropriation of 7-foot-5-inch resources. Redistribute some of those looks to the interior, where he can show off some of the hard-won gains of that “brutal,†“violent,†“world-class†offseason …

… and the Spurs†overall shot quality and offensive efficiency will probably start to tick up no matter who else is on the court. Pair that with continual advancement as a playmaker off the dribble — Wembyâ€s already talking about turning down “a shot I could make with my eyes closed […] to get one of my teammates a shot he could make in his sleep†— and the Spurs might have the recipe for their first above-average finish in points scored per possession in a half-dozen years.

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Pair that with the sort of defensive ascent that Wembanyamaâ€s demanding, and we could be talking about a team poised not only to return to the playoffs, but to be an absolute bear to deal with once they get there.

Best-case scenario

Wembanyama stays healthy for the full season, muscling his way onto the MVP ballot and All-NBA First Team. Fox finds his flow alongside the big fella, returning to the All-Star team and providing San Antonio with the battery of a top-10 offense. Castle cements himself as the kind of 16-game two-way player with which the Spurs will need to surround Wemby; Harper wows enough in a limited role to keep everybody convinced heâ€s the right long-term running buddy, and that whatever issues the Spurs have to navigate in the backcourt are high-class, champagne problems. San Antonio builds on last seasonâ€s 12-win jump, surging to 50 wins and home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs, making it abundantly clear to all parties that the future is here, and itâ€s French.

If everything falls apart

The expected reinforcements donâ€t keep the wheels from falling off when Wembanyama hits the bench, drastically lowering San Antonioâ€s ceiling. Foxâ€s jumper and fit alongside Vic look shaky, leading to no small amount of grumbling over whether that 30% max mightâ€ve been a tad hasty. None of the young perimeter pieces look quite ready for prime time, leaving fans wondering just how many bona fide blue-chippers theyâ€ve actually got on hand. A season that begins with postseason expectations ends with another sub-.500 finish shy of the play-in tournament, and with the hotly anticipated coronation of the next big thing stalled once again.

2025-26 schedule

• Season opener: Oct. 22 at Dallas

An 11-win leap feels like itâ€d require neither Wembanyama nor Fox missing significant time and Fox returning to All-Star level after an up-and-down 2024-25. Thatâ€s certainly the bet that the Spurs have made; in what looks like, to borrow Vicâ€s phrasing, a brutal, violent and world-class Western Conference, though, Iâ€m not so sure thatâ€s where Iâ€m willing to put my chips down just yet.

More season previews

East: Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets • Chicago Bulls • Cleveland Cavaliers • Detroit Pistons • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • Milwaukee Bucks • New York Knicks • Orlando Magic • Philadelphia 76ers • Toronto Raptors • Washington Wizards

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West: Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • Los Angeles Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz

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  Michael C. WrightOct 8, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  • Joined ESPN in 2010
  • Previously covered Bears for ESPN.com
  • Played college football at West Texas A&M

INSIDE A QUIETgym located on a sprawling 400-acre ranch in Katy, Texas, some 30 miles due east of Houston, Victor Wembanyama backed down new San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Rashard Lewis near the basket.

The 21-year-old pupil was there to attend one of the most secretive, legendary big man camps in basketball — one whose teacher has quietly mentored Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Dwight Howard and many others. Even Kobe Bryant spent time on this most hallowed of grounds.

Other Spurs assistants, Matt Nielsen and Sean Sweeney, looked toward the court, where the future of NBA big men was learning from one of the icons of its past.

The court, painted in Houston Rockets red, was emblazoned with a No. 34 at the center of it. Above it was his famed nickname in cursive.

Dream.

Wembanyama met the 62-year-old Hakeem Olajuwon in April at the NCAA men’s college national championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio. They sat courtside.

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“He said he would love to work out with me,” Olajuwon, whose Hall of Fame NBA career included two championships, 12 All-Star appearances and an MVP award, told ESPN. “I said, ‘You’ve got everything already.’ He said, ‘No, no, no. I’ve watched you play, and I’d like to know now just the secrets behind all the moves. I would love that.'”

And so began a relationship that would cap a summer of transformation for Wembanyama.

Six months earlier, he had been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, a condition both career- and life-threatening.

The ordeal, one source close to him says, deeply affected the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year, so much so that it inspired “a journey to push himself to be great physically and mentally with things that were outside the box.”

He played soccer in Costa Rica and Tokyo. He famously spent 10 days at a spiritual retreat at a Shaolin temple in Zhenzhou, China, where he studied and trained with monks.

He hosted a chess and basketball tournament at his court in Le Chesnay, France. He visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where he learned about astronaut Peggy Whitson, who owns the American record for spending 675 days in space.

He spent time with another iconic big man, Kevin Garnett, seeking to tighten his grip on the mental side of the game.

“The traumatic experience … is very much linked to all the stuff I’ve done in the summer,” Wembanyama said. “Spending so much time in hospitals, around doctors and hearing more bad news that I wish I hadn’t heard, of course, it is traumatic. But in the long run I think it’s going to be very beneficial because even though I don’t wish it on [anybody], it makes you understand lessons that nothing else could have made you understand.”

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson says he’s never witnessed such perspective, or curiosity, from such a young player.

“He is so intentional in the variety of ways that he tries to improve as a player and person,” Johnson said. “It’s constantly trying to push himself out of his comfort zone and learn new things. Sometimes, the levels he goes [to] and the things he thinks about that may be a small nuance, but he feels like if I can add this to my world being, mindset, [or] whatever it may be, it can help.”

Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama spent 10 days at a Shaolin temple in Zhenzhou, China, where he studied and trained with monks. He wanted to put his mind and body under unusual stress, increase his range of motion and add strength, flexibility and balance. wemby/Instagram

BEFORE CAPTIVATING SOCIAL media in July with a failed bicycle kick in Costa Rica, in addition to smashing a looping free kick on the pitch in Tokyo, Wembanyama traveled to a historic Shaolin temple, one that was founded in the 5th century.

When Wembanyama informed Spurs brass of his intentions, everyone was on board, one team source told ESPN, remaining true to the club’s commitment to encourage the growth of its franchise player.

“The creativity is something that’s been there from Day 1,” Johnson said. “We want this team to be in the reflection of Victor. He’s our best player. He’s our guy.”

For 10 days, Wembanyama woke up at 4:30 a.m., ate vegetarian breakfast bowls of zucchini and rice noodles and immersed himself in Chan meditation, a school of thought that emphasizes direct experience over intellectual learning. He studied Shaolin Kung Fu. He shaved his head.

He wanted to go, he said, to put his mind and body under unusual stress, to increase his range of motion, to add strength, flexibility and balance through different exercises.

“It was an incredible experience,” he said. “Probably as far [off] a physical activity as I’m used to doing. It really paid off in terms of training and as a life experience as a curious person.”

People who have seen Wembanyama on the floor this summer say he’s stronger, more under control playing through physicality and increasingly comfortable with his unprecedented skill set.

“We know the type of talent he is,” teammate De’Aaron Fox said. “I think people are learning the type of person that he is, as well. … Him just looking at life differently, being able to travel and kind of come out with a different view on not only the sport, but on life, that’s just a testament to the person that Victor is. I don’t think it surprises anybody in this building.”

During his stay, Wembanyama woke up at 4:30 a.m. every day. He practiced Chan meditation, a school of thought that emphasizes direct experience over intellectual learning, as well as Shaolin Kung Fu. wemby/Instagram

IT WAS EARLY September, and the 100-degree temperatures were finally subsiding in Texas. The start of training camp approached, heightening the excitement among a San Antonio fan base that hasn’t seen its team reach the postseason in six seasons.

Wembanyama and his teammates attended a Paris Saint-Germain game in January when the Spurs played the Indiana Pacers in France. While there, Johnson caught his first glimpse of the PSG ultras, a rowdy group of passionate fans that create a formidable atmosphere in the 47,929-capacity Parc de Princes stadium through monstrous banners, booming chants and even the use of flares and pyrotechnics.

Wembanyama revealed to Johnson then that he wanted to create a similar setting at Frost Bank Center.

So, on a cool Sept. 14 morning, fans traipsed into the Freeman Expo Hall adjacent to Frost Bank, loud and proud, screaming “Go Spurs Go!” Most sported Spurs gear, wigs, fiesta-themed clothing and face paint. Some even dressed as pirates to register for the first fan supporter tryouts with Wembanyama serving as the lone judge.

Wembanyama leaned forward on a Spurs-themed chair resembling a replica of the ice block throne that George “Iceman” Gervin made famous in his iconic Nike poster back in 1978. Behind a curtain sectioned off just feet away from Wembanyama, nervous fans — many meeting for the first time — rehearsed the impromptu chants they would scream together minutes later.

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“Wem-V-P!” was the prevailing chant, drawing smiles from Wembanyama, who had pledged to cover the cost of tickets all season for the five most memorable fans. Intently, he scribbled notes in a black Spurs notepad on every auditioner and listened to their stories. He asked their names, level of dedication to the cause and even some personal questions before posing for pics as each exited. Some fans beat on a Spurs drum stationed in the back of the room once their turn to audition came.

Wembanyama hit the drum, too, and led a chant.

San Antonio general manager Brian Wright stood in the background near a curtain close to the exit next to CEO RC Buford taking in the scene. Arms folded, they watched carefully, almost in awe of how Wembanyama appreciatively embraced each second of dozens of interactions all morning with a fan base that treated those brief intros as moments forever seared into their hearts.

Just four days prior, Wembanyama had led the Spurs onto the court at Tom Moore High School in Ingram, Texas, where a massive flood in July had left at least 136 people dead in a region that included communities in Ingram, Kerrville, Center Point, Mason and Hunt.

Wembanyama emerged from the back of the gym, tossing black Spurs T-shirts into the crowd and clapping while the sounds of shrieking students pierced the stuffy afternoon air. Wembanyama slapped hands with one young boy in the front row. The rest of the team took center court behind the Frenchman for a light workout consisting of layups, three-man weave drills, a half-court shot competition and dozens of thunderous dunks, some coming on ridiculous lobs thrown off the wall behind the baskets.

Wembanyama tossed a self alley-oop and caught the ball midair, taking it through his legs for a jam drawing delighted cheers.

Now, all that’s left for Wembanyama is to return to the court.

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Wemby works out with Olajuwon in offseason workout

Victor Wembanyama hits the gym with NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon in the offseason.

BACK INSIDE OLAJUWON’S gym, the Rockets icon asked Wembanyama what he wanted to accomplish, a question more existential than cliché after this summer of international experience.

“He basically wanted to know how to leverage. Let’s leverage any opportunities you have, inside, outside, with opportunities in different situations without wasting energy,” Olajuwon told ESPN. “I know how skilled he is. So, our concept was not for ‘big men.’ Our concept was ‘big guards.’ You don’t want to dribble like a big man. We are big guards where you can play 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 with the freedom to create outside, inside, crossover and pull up without wasting any energy with any player because you have the advantage every night on everybody.”

Through four 2½-hour workouts in early September, Wembanyama developed his own variation of the Hall of Famer’s “Dream Shake” in addition to other tightly-wound spin moves that might leave opponents dizzy this upcoming season.

Then, there’s the jump hook Wemby is keeping under wraps.

“Yeah, that’s part of his moves,” Olajuwon said. “You know how well he can shoot, right? Can you imagine putting in the moves with him finishing his shots? If somebody like him can jump hook, you’re at his mercy. You can’t get to it. You can’t get to his jump shot or jump hooks. “

Teammate Jeremy Sochan says he’s already witnessed the evolution.

“You see how hard he works and how motivated he is,” Sochan said. “He’s super exciting to see and he’s ready. I think you guys are going to see a lot that’s going to shock you.”

Wembanyama, for his part, credits his most unusual offseason.

“I can assure you nobody has trained like I did this summer,” he said. “I think I’ve maxed out what I could do in one summer. Now, I need to play basketball.”

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Willander, a first-round pick of the Canucks in 2023, signed a three-year entry-level contract in May, making the jump to professional hockey.

He had just completed his second season with the Boston University Terriers, notching two goals and 24 points in 39 games. In 77 total games with the Terriers, the Swedish defenceman recorded 49 points.

In three pre-season games, Willander, 20, averaged 16:33 of ice time and took two shots on goal.

Mancini, meanwhile, landed in Vancouver as part of the return for J.T. Miller in January. He ended up playing in 16 games with the Canucks, scoring a goal and averaging 15:30 minutes of ice time per contest.

The right-shot D-man played two pre-season games for the Canucks, scoring against the Seattle Kraken.

As Vancouver continues to pare down its roster, 2025 first-rounder Braeden Cootes remains at the centre of the conversation. The 18-year-old has impressed in pre-season action, scoring a pair of goals in four games while taking six shots on goal and recording a plus-2 rating.

Cootes told reporters Sunday that he is still unsure whether he will play in the opener and is just trying to take things one day at a time.

The Canucks will open their season at home against the Calgary Flames on Thursday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET and can be seen on Sportsnet Pacific.

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After his second season in the NBA was cut short due to the discovery of deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, San Antonio Spurs star big man Victor Wembanyama attacked the offseason with fury in hopes of building his body back up.

“My training this summer, it was brutal,” Wembanyama said at Spurs media day, per The Athletic’s Jared Weiss. He went on to explain that he committed to a strict regimen that didn’t include much offensive work.

“This summer, I chose to do something much more violent,” Wembanyama added. “Maybe that takes away from some time I can spend on shooting the basketball, but it doesn’t matter. I wanted to get my body back.”

Wembanyama was averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a league-leading 3.8 blocks before his season ended in February after just 46 games. Weiss explained, “The doctor visits, the games watching from the sideline, it all got to him.” The 21-year-old traveled across the world and “lived life to the fullest this summer” before beginning his preparation for the 2025-26 season.

Wembanyama arrived back to San Antonio for training camp with a renewed energy, evidenced by an intense drill in which he “defends a one-on-one sequence against every player in the gym without a breather. Once he’s taken everyone on, he sprints down to the other end of the court and goes right back into it,” per Weiss.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone work out like that,” Spurs wing Julian Champagnie told Weiss. “It’s crazy to see.”

Wembanyama made it clear that his commitment to the defensive side of the ball this year will emanate through the entire team, which would surely help San Antonio return to playoff contention.

“From the first game of the preseason, (defense) is a non-negotiable. It’s not something you can’t do if you want to be a part of our team,” Wembanyama said. “We’re going to hold each other accountable. We know the coaches are gonna hold us accountable. It doesn’t matter your status, defense is non-negotiable.”

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As Victor Wembanyama enters his third NBA season, fans may notice some physical differences.

According to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, Wembanyama is being listed at 7’4″ entering the 2025-26 NBA season, which would be one inch taller than he was listed at last season.

Not only that, but the 21-year-old—who was listed at 235 pounds last season—has added weight during the offseason:

Wembanyama had his 2024-25 campaign cut short in February because of deep vein thrombosis, a form of blood clot, in his right shoulder. Luckily, the team was optimistic about the diagnosis, as Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said that there was “no concern for Victor’s health personally or his basketball activities.”

Wembanyama was cleared to return to basketball activities on July 14.

Wembanyama also discussed one of his offseason activities during his media session on Monday:

Wembanyama came into the league as arguably the most hyped prospect since LeBron James, and he met his lofty expectations from the start. On the way to winning Rookie of the Year, Wembanyama recorded 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game.

Though he played just 46 games in Year 2, Wembanyama was just as spectacular, putting up 24.3 points, 11 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game.

Assuming his progress continues, it’s realistic to think Wembanyama could be in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year, if not MVP, by the end of the season.

Expectations are high for not only Wembanyama but for the Spurs as a whole. San Antonio will get its first full season of Wembanyama alongside star point guard De-Aaron Fox, and the team also landed an exciting rookie in Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick. Of note, Harper underwent thumb surgery in early September, though he may be able to return in time for the start of the regular season.

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