San Antonio has its king, and his name is Victor Wembanyama.
With 9.7 seconds left and the Frost Bank Center holding its breath, Wembanyama caught an inbounds pass, surveyed the defense, stepped right, took one dribble, and buried a 17-foot fadeaway over Oso Ighodaro with 1.1 seconds remaining to lift the Spurs to a 101-100 win over the Phoenix Suns. The victory clinched San Antonio’s first playoff berth since 2019, ending a six-season postseason drought.
Wembanyama finished with 34 points on 10-of-20 shooting, going a perfect 12-of-12 from the free throw line, while adding 12 rebounds and three steals. It was the kind of performance that does not leave room for argument.
After the final buzzer, teammate Keldon Johnson grabbed the microphone and led the entire arena in MVP chants. “He’s playing at that type of level. He’s been our guy on and off the court. And that’s what needs to be said: Victor Wembanyama, MVP,” Johnson declared.
Wembanyama himself has made his intentions crystal clear. Speaking to reporters, the 22-year-old said he wants to win both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards and is pressing the gas for the remainder of the season, focusing on his sleep, treatment, and routine.
The numbers back up the ambition. Since the All-Star break, he has averaged 28 points, 11 rebounds, and over four blocks per game while the Spurs have surged to the second-best record in the Western Conference. The MVP race remains Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s to lose, but Wembanyama has the second-best odds and is doing everything in his power to close the gap.
San Antonio is back. And if Wembanyama keeps playing like this, the rest of the West should be very concerned.
