Victor Wembanyama confirms Spurs' changed status

San Antonio will begin Victor Wembanyama’s fourth season under a different level of scrutiny after reaching the NBA Finals last year. The Spurs’ run ended with a 4-1 defeat by the New York Knicks, but their progress has raised expectations around the team.

Wembanyama addressed the changed outlook at San Antonio’s media day. The 22-year-old acknowledged that the Finals loss was difficult to process, while accepting that the experience had to be faced rather than avoided. He also made clear that the Spurs’ new standing brings responsibility: opponents will no longer underestimate them and will approach every meeting with greater intensity.

The French center is relying on continuity to meet that challenge. San Antonio has retained most of its core during the off-season, including Castle, Vassell, Harper and Fox. Wembanyama said the priority was to bring the group together and ensure that the players began the campaign with a shared focus.

The Spurs will play five pre-season games against Atlanta, Phoenix, Utah and Sacramento before opening the regular season at home to Oklahoma City on the 20th. The Thunder, the 2025 champions, were eliminated by San Antonio in Game 7 of last season’s Western Conference finals and will arrive with that defeat still in the background.