Victor Wembanyama takes another step toward being NBAs center of attention Days after agreeing to a monster contract extension, Victor Wembanyama reminisced about the last three years of his NBA career.
The highlights.
The multiple accolades.
The latest postseason push that helped make the extension an easy decision.
His basketball profile continues to grow.
On and off the court.
On July 10, the San Antonio Spurs announced that Wembanyama agreed to a five-year, $252 million extension to remain with the team.
The deal begins with the 2027-28 season and starts at 25 percent of the salary cap even though Wembanyama was eligible for a supermax deal worth 30 percent of the cap.
In an exclusive with The Athletic, Wembanyama offered his thoughts of how his new contract can help the Spurs maintain its championship contention window for years to come.
Saving the Spurs approximately $50 million over the life of his extension was about maximizing the opportunity to remain title contenders, as cap savings could allow the team flexibility in trades or to sign players to add to or maintain its depth.
We have a good team, we had a very good playoff run, and we had a very good regular season.
But whats even better and greater is our potential, Wembanyama said during an interview for NBA 2K27, as he was announced as one of the cover athletes for the popular video game series.
The reality of todays NBA is that often, the potential of teams is not fulfilled because of money.
I just want to make sure its never our case.
Wembanyama, a two-time NBA All-Star, was the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year and the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winner this past season.
The 7-foot-4 do-it-all player averaged career highs of 25 points and 11.5 rebounds and led the league with 3.1 blocks per game in reaching his first NBA Finals.
Wembanyama received First-Team All-NBA honors and finished third in NBA MVP voting behind Oklahoma Citys Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denvers Nikola Jokic.
While appreciative of how quickly the various accomplishments come, to Wembanyama, theyre actually expected.
The 22-year-old has built a stellar basketball resume playing professionally in France, and his game has matured into a level that puts him among the NBAs elite.
Hes built a reputation where hes admired by many and even became a bit of a villain during the playoffs due to a number of flagrant fouls and an ejection.
Being on the 2K27 cover is considered a big milestone to him, but like the other accolades, it was anticipated.
Just like every achievement in my career, I wish it happened sooner, he said.
Its all happening very quick, but I am not satisfied and I want it to happen quicker.
Its definitely a big milestone, something good.
Thats done.
Wembanyama forgoing a supermax extension can equate to roughly $10 million from the Spurs cap each season if Wembanyama were to be named to an All-NBA team or repeat as Defensive Player of the Year in 2026-27.
As the team looks to upgrade players like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper from their rookie deals in the next couple of years, the cap number will be important.
Per The Athletics John Hollinger, keeping Wembanyama at 25 percent of the max would also allow the Spurs to use their nontaxpayer midlevel exception in the 2027 offseason and still remain below the first apron, something that otherwise would have been impossible without trading a rotation piece.
At 7-foot-4 with an 8-foot wingspan, Wembanyama is seen on the court and in gaming as something of a cheat code.
He has the shooting and ballhandling abilities of a guard.
Hes blocked 3-point attempts.
And with every game, his confidence grows.
And the more he does, the more people talk.
I see it, and I feel it with people around me, he said.
Whether its fans or interactions, even haters, you know its everywhere.
But mentally, its not taking a toll on me, Im just living my career.
I hear it the most with journalists and media.
But, yeah, it comes with it.
I guess its only a good thing.
Being on the cover of a premier basketball simulation game, one of the best-selling video games on the market, will bring more attention to Wembanyama from basketball fans, as well as gamers who might not watch the sport closely but are fanatical about gameplay.
NBA 2K26 which featured Gilgeous-Alexander as a cover athlete was the No.
1 selling sports game last year and No.
2 overall video game, so he is aware of the potential ascension as the worlds of basketball and popular culture fuse.
Wembanyama joined a list of 2K cover athletes that also includes Michael Jordan, Shaquille ONeal, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and Doncic.
He played the game growing up with his brother and uncle in France.
He fondly recalls when EuroLeague teams were added to the game for 2K14.
I know it means a lot culturally, too, Wembanyama said.
Its hard to realize for me that Im taking more and more space, more real estate in the world of basketball, in what basketball means, in professional basketball.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.