On NBA Today, ESPN's Marc Spears was asked what he believes motivates Victor Wembanyama to be the destructive force he's been so far. His answer was "Chet." It was a shocking answer to hear because it just shouldn't be the case. But Spears didn't pull this response out of nowhere, and it's worth hearing him out.
Marc Spears:
"I was told by somebody inside that room that Wemby is motivated by Chet. Chet having one up on him on the championship" 👀 pic.twitter.com/E0lACvh2X6
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 27, 2025
Wembanyama already told reporters that the blood clot was a major motivating factor for him, so Spears has received pushback online from Spurs fans. But I was at the game in Dallas and can verify I saw the longtime basketball writer speaking to several people connected to San Antonio, who either work for the organization or in the local media. He's telling the truth about being there.
Also, Spears is a respected journalist who has never been accused of lying. If he says that someone told him that Chet played a role in Vic's motivation, we have to at least consider it. But I think it's the idea that it's a bad thing that needs to change. If this report is accurate, this is fantastic news, and I'll tell you why.
Wembanyama has the competitive drive of the GOATs
Chet Holmgren was fortunate enough to land on an already deep and talented team whose number one option just won the MVP. He's the third-best player on that team at best on most nights. He doesn't deserve to be compared to Vic, and he likely knows that, but that doesn't matter. Operating under the assumption that Spears is right, Wemby wants to outshine everyone, period.
Michael Jordan is famous for many things; one of them is his habit of coming up with imagined slights to fire himself up and push his limits further. Kobe Bryant was a vicious competitor who didn't want friends on the court. He just wanted to steal the hearts of his opponents. Tim Duncan was no different. He approached it differently, but you don't dominate for 15+ years, winning five titles, without being relentless.
If you've ever watched Inside the NBA with Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson, you've seen how competitive Shaq still is to this day. It doesn't take much to get him flexing the fact that he won four rings. The greats always share that trait at a comforting rate.
So, if Spears is right, so what? That should only excite Spurs Nation because that means Victor Wembanyama has the same competitive sicko trait that greats like MJ had. Give me more of that.