French sensation Victor Wembanyama’s second season for the San Antonio Spurs resulted in catastrophe as he was dominated out after affected by deep vein thrombosis or DVT in February 2025. In consequence, the Spurs, seen by many to lastly be a playoff-contending staff, completed thirteenth within the West with a 34-48 report.
San Antonio have failed to succeed in the postseason for the reason that 2018-19 marketing campaign as followers bid farewell to Gregg Popovich to kickstart a brand new period underneath Mitch Johnson. And but, all indicators level to constructive developments, the fruits of which we count on the Spurs to take pleasure in from the upcoming marketing campaign.
San Antonio moved rapidly within the offseason. They notably re-signed De’Aaron Fox and Bismack Biyombo whereas including Rutgers famous person Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant by way of the No. 2 and 14 picks within the 2025 NBA draft.
Heart Luke Kornet was signed in free company to offer their generational huge man some cowl, resulting in one of the crucial gifted younger cores within the NBA. On paper, the Spurs look effectively on their solution to compete for the title within the coming years.
But, a lot will as soon as once more rely upon Victor Wembanyama and whether or not he can ship a wholesome season after a seemingly stellar offseason that has included high-intensity coaching periods and visits to China and Japan, the place he practiced Chan meditation and Shaolin Kung Fu.
Victor Wembanyama will win the DPOY award
Wembanyama returned with a statline of 24.3 factors, 11 rebounds, 3.4 assists and three.8 blocks per sport final season whereas taking pictures at over 55% general and over 35% from the three-point zone. The stats solely affirm what the attention check reveals: he’s a generational star with a outstanding two-way ceiling, and the one obvious problem stays his well being.
Wemby confirmed loads of progress in his sophomore 12 months earlier than his season was minimize quick, and followers might be wanting to see how rapidly he can return to these ranges post-rehabilitation. And if progress in the course of the offseason and the Spurs’ latest strikes are something to go by, they’re well-positioned to maximise Wemby’s influence and construct in the direction of their first postseason in years.
If he can stay accessible for almost all of the season, the 21-year-old will turn into the runaway favourite for this award. In any case, he completed second in what was his rookie 12 months and was not thought of final marketing campaign as he solely performed 46 common season video games.
Wemby to complete top-3 in MVP voting
“My coaching this summer season, it was brutal..Possibly that takes away from a while I can spend on taking pictures the basketball, however it doesn’t matter. I wished to get my physique again,” Wembanyama lately stated about his offseason.
The Frenchman might solely be 21, however he strikes each on and off-court like a professional effectively previous that age. Many had questioned whether or not he’ll be capable of prolong the sort of domination he confirmed throughout his professional profession in France to the NBA, and the primary two seasons have blown these considerations away.
He spent a part of the summer season working with veteran talent coach Noah Laroche and himself believes his offseason work has been “world-class,” per The Athletic. Wemby doesn’t even should do a lot to be thought of a severe MVP candidate.
He has already proven the flexibility to make an influence that merely can’t be recreated by another famous person, and if he retains it up for your entire marketing campaign, he’s successfully a lock-on, contemplating the remainder of San Antonio’s roster additionally seems able to compete with the NBA’s greatest as soon as once more.
The Spurs may have a postseason
The Spurs have made main strikes this offseason. De’Aaron Fox leads a backcourt on a roster that has the final two Rookie of the Yr winners in Wemby and Stephon Citadel. One other potential famous person has joined in Dylan Harper, with San Antonio additionally boasting a powerful supporting forged led by Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes and Jeremy Sochan.
Carter Bryant’s arrival provides their younger core a tantalizing look, with the Spurs actually wanting able to compete each within the now and for years to return. The entrance workplace’s choice so as to add Kornet means they acknowledge the worth in giving Wemby respiratory house.
General, they’ve made all the best strikes, have a scary pool of expertise, and can solely get higher as they start to combine their new stars as soon as the season begins. The Spurs elevated their win complete to 34 final season from simply 22 in 2023-24, and all indicators level to an identical uptick for the upcoming marketing campaign as effectively.