mysa
Instead of seeking mental and spiritual growth with Chinese monks as he did a year ago, Victor Wembanyama opted for a more physical offseason regimen this summer. The 7-foot-4 French phenom enlisted a rugby club in southern France to help him get tougher after the San Antonio Spurs' heartbreaking NBA Finals loss to the New York Knicks in five games, where they squandered significant leads in all four defeats.
Wembanyama absorbed plenty of punishment during his rugby training—pushed, shoved, and tossed around—and he embraced every moment of it. Now, as he preps for his fourth NBA season, the superstar appears noticeably bigger and stronger, a development that bodes well for the Spurs but could spell trouble for the rest of the league.
"It feels like going through something of great magnitude and feels like destiny (for) anybody," Wembanyama said. "We're fighting for the top spot of the mountain and we're going to have to move people in our way. That's just the way it is."
The Spurs' objective for the upcoming season is unambiguous: win a championship. Anything less would be a disappointment, especially after they captured the Western Conference title by winning a Game 7 in Oklahoma City to eliminate the 2025 NBA champions. It's a realistic goal, too. In the annual NBA general managers' poll released Thursday, the Spurs were tabbed as favorites to win the 2027 title, while Wembanyama was the overwhelming choice to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year and earn his first MVP award.
"We have some goals between us that we're going to keep between us as teammates, but we have some other goals that are obvious," Wembanyama said. "We won the West last year. We don't want to do anything less this year, and we want to be the first seed, and we want to keep fighting for this top spot."
Wembanyama's statistical output is unmatched in today's NBA. In each of his three seasons, he has recorded at least 176 blocked shots, 168 assists, and 122 3-pointers—a feat only Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren has achieved once. While the 3-point line didn't exist in Wilt Chamberlain's era and blocks weren't officially tracked until 1973, Wembanyama's nightly uniqueness is undeniable. And the Spurs believe he has plenty of room to grow.
"I think he has a ton of room to improve in all aspects," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "I think one thing for him will just be to continue to manipulate the game and dictate the game. Not just by scoring, but by making plays for his teammates, forcing the defense to make a decision and taking advantage of opportunities that are in front of him and probably continuing to connect those throughout the game where he's almost puppeteering the game—as we see the best players in our game do and we've seen him do. I think that's an area for him to continue to grow in."
That growth has been evident at times in the preseason. Wembanyama has always been a willing passer, but prioritizing playmaking even more could create additional headaches for opponents. "He's always been a great facilitator," Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. "He sees the floor well. I mean, his assist numbers, they could vary, honestly. It's the way he sees the floor, the way teams guard him. He gets a different look every single game. Just knowing him, he's going to make the right read for that possession. We want him to be default-aggressive in all those situations."
For the first time in Wembanyama's tenure, the Spurs enter a season with championship expectations. Even last year's team wasn't considered a title contender in October—a playoff team, perhaps, but not a Western Conference champion. Now, all eyes are on San Antonio, and that's exactly what Wembanyama wanted. The Finals loss to the Knicks only strengthened his resolve, and a little help from a rugby club might have provided the boost that could propel the Spurs to their next long-awaited title.
"We're in a great spot," Wembanyama said. "We're very hopeful. Very ambitious. And we're ready."
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Originally reported by mysa.