Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama has Wild Story Shared About Him from Star Guard

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN – FEBRUARY 23: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after making a shot against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter at Little Caesars Arena on February 23, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

The San Antonio Spurs have taken a giant leap this year. They are no longer a lottery-dwelling franchise, and they are ready to compete in the playoffs. Right now, they sit second in the Western Conference standings.

San Antonio sits just three games behind the Thunder for the top seed in the West. It’s clear they are contenders to win the championship now. A big reason for that has been the leap that Victor Wembanyama has made. He is now one of the best ten players in the NBA.

Wembanyama has always had potential. 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey recently told a story about when he knew that Wembanyama was going to truly be a one-of-one player.

GettySan Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama blocks a shot. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

Spurs Center Victor Wembanyama Showed Tyrese Maxey He Was Going to be a Star

Maxey shared a story about Wembanyama a few years ago that proved to him he was going to be a superstar.

“I knew he was going to be really good, because I work out early, and he was coming in to work out right after me, and he walks up to Tim (Martin) and was like, ‘Hey Tim, I want to play Tyrese one-on-one. And I’m like, ‘Huh?’ Like, you ain’t even stretch or nothing yet.”

Then, Wembanayma decided he just wanted to be a menace on defense.

“He’s like, ‘No, I want to play one-on-one, but I want to be all-time defense.’ I had never heard a player say that. I’m fresh. Like’s he’s not fresh. So I’m coming down, I’m doing like the same moves I always do, and I get to the paint, come to my right layup, and he grabs my layup off the glass.”

The Spurs have seen Wembanyama’s defensive impact now that he has been mostly healthy this season. San Antonio has the third-best defense in the NBA. With him on the floor, the Spurs are a truly tough team to score on, especially in the paint.

GettySan Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama shoots the ball. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

Spurs Center Victor Wembanyama has an MVP Case

In just his third season in the league, Wembanyama has a real case to be an MVP. He has increased his shooting percentage and rebounds, and has decreased his turnovers. With the Spurs having a chance to become the top seed in the Western Conference standings, that could give him an edge.

The 65-game rule also comes into play. Several top candidates will be ineligible, or are very close to becoming ineligible, to win the award. Nikola Jokic is just two games away from being ineligible. Wembanyam is also close to not being eligible after how many games he has already missed.

Wembanayma doesn’t care about that. He only cares about helping his team win in the playoffs when the moment matters the most. Wembanyama hasn’t been able to stay healthy in the final month of the season in his career thus far, so that is going to be the biggest focus for him.

Ryan Stano Ryan Stano covers the NBA for Heavy.com. He has been covering sports since 2017, covering the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and the NBA. His work has been featured on Yahoo, Bleacher Report, FanSided, and Sports Illustrated. More about Ryan Stano