The Alien Era: How Victor Wembanyama Turned San Antonio into a Title Contender

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SAN ANTONIO, TX — Just two years ago, the San Antonio Spurs were a 22-win team defined by potential rather than production. Today, as the NBA enters the back half of the 2025-26 season, the narrative has shifted from “rebuilding” to “championship-caliber.”

At the center of this transformation is Victor Wembanyama, the 7’5″ phenom who hasn’t just lived up to the hype—he has effectively broken the NBA’s traditional competitive timeline.

By the Numbers: The “Alien” Leap

Wembanyama’s statistical profile in his third season is less a progression and more a takeover. While his blocks are slightly down (2.6 per game) compared to his historic sophomore season, it’s a result of a “No-Fly Zone” reputation: teams have simply stopped challenging him at the rim.

Statistic	2024-25	2025-26 (Current)
Points Per Game	24.3	24.4
Rebounds Per Game	11.0	10.7
Blocks Per Game	3.8	2.6
3-Point Percentage	35.2%	38.0%
Team Record (Jan 21)	15–28	30–14 (2nd in West)

The Trade That Changed Everything

While Wembanyama is the engine, the arrival of De’Aaron Fox via trade has been the fuel. For the first two years of his career, Wembanyama often had to create his own shots or rely on young guards learning the ropes.

The Fox-Wembanyama pick-and-roll has become the most efficient play in basketball this season. Fox’s elite speed forces defenders to drop, which leaves Wembanyama open for “un-blockable” pick-and-pop threes or lobs that only he can reach.

“It’s a cheat code,” says one Western Conference scout. “You can’t double Fox because Wemby is at the arc, and you can’t switch because Victor will just seal the smaller man in the paint.”

A Defensive Identity

Under new head coach Mitch Johnson, the Spurs have built the NBA’s #3-ranked defense. Wembanyama’s impact is best seen in the advanced “On-Off” metrics:

With Wemby on court: San Antonio’s defensive rating is a league-best 106.9.
The “Wemby Effect”: Opponents shoot 14% worse at the rim when he is the primary defender.

The development of Stephon Castle as a primary perimeter stopper has also allowed Wembanyama to play a “free safety” role, roaming the baseline and erasing mistakes before they reach the hoop.

The “Old Soul” Leadership

Perhaps the most surprising element of this 2026 run is Wembanyama’s maturity. At 22, he was voted a team captain and has garnered praise for his poise. Earlier this season, when a calf strain sidelined him for a month, he famously coached from the bench and mentored rookie Dylan Harper.

“Leadership is losing yourself in the team,” Kendrick Perkins recently noted on his podcast. “When he came back, he even offered to come off the bench for a few games to keep the rhythm of the second unit. That’s a 7’5″ superstar with no ego.”

The Verdict: Are They Ready?

The Spurs currently sit 2nd in the Western Conference, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder. With a core of Fox, Vassell, and Wembanyama, San Antonio has the top-end talent to win any seven-game series.

The question is no longer if the Spurs will be back in the Finals, but how soon. If Wembanyama maintains this level of two-way dominance into May, the answer might be: this year.