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SAN ANTONIO, TX -MARCH 5: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after making a three-point shot against the Detroit Pistons in the first half at Frost Bank Center on March 5, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
As the year continues, the San Antonio Spurs look like a title contender. With Victor Wembanyama on the roster, San Antonio is one of the scariest teams to face. They sit second in the Western Conference standings and are just two-and-a-half games behind the Thunder for the top spot.
Wembanyama is the favorite to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. His presence on the court makes them one of the best teams in the league. His range in the paint defensively has been described as “alien”, and that’s how Jaylen Brown recently described it.
Brown gave some major praise to Wembanyama, but he doesn’t seem to care about it very much.
GettySan Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama dunks the ball. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama Doesn’t Care About Praise From Jaylen Brown
While on a stream, Brown said he is the best two-way player in the league who’s human. He said Wembanyama doesn’t count because he’s “not human”. Wembanyama was asked about those comments and what they mean to him.
“No, I agree. I see this as a mark of respect, obviously. That doesn’t mean much to me. The awards which represent this would mean more to me.”
With this being his third year in the league, Wembanyama has started to gain a different mentality. He is starting to get more of a killer instinct, which will make him even more devastating as a player to deal with. He’s impossible to stop.
The Spurs have the third-best defense in the league. With him roaming the paint, it’s almost impossible to score over him. Offensively, Wembanyama has expanded his game and has started spending more time in the paint. His length makes it very tough to stop him around the rim.
GettySan Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama dunks the ball. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
San Antonio Could Win a Championship This Season
Wembanyama has this team ready to win a title this year. De’Aaron Fox has settled in as a lead guard for them, and all of the other role players are fitting together. In addition to owning a top-three defense, the Spurs have a top-five offense, as well.
The Spurs are one of the few teams that are fully healthy and operating at full capacity. After taking down the Rockets on Sunday, they have now won nine of their last 10 games. It seems they are playing their best basketball at the right time, although staying healthy has to be a priority.
San Antonio has shown that it needs to be taken seriously as a championship threat, even though it is a young team. This is setting up to be the first playoffs that Wembanyama has experienced this season. How well he lives up to the moment will be the determining factor in whether they are ready to win it all.
Oklahoma City is still the favorite to win the title, but the Spurs feel great about their chances of beating them in the playoffs.