Bold statement: A year ago, Victor Wembanyama’s season felt doomed, and now he’s reshaping the Spurs’ trajectory in Austin. But here’s where it gets controversial: can one young player really flip an entire franchise’s fortunes in just 12 months?
A year ago, on February 20, 2025, Victor Wembanyama—one of basketball’s most recognizable talents—received news every athlete dreads: your season is over. Diagnosed with a rare blood clot in his right shoulder during a medical evaluation after his first NBA All-Star appearance, the Spurs’ prodigy faced a abrupt pause just as San Antonio sat 12th in the Western Conference. It was a tough end to what had been a promising second season, limited to 46 games, and the team’s performance mirrored the struggle around him.
“I remember the All-Star Game last year was the worst I had ever felt on a basketball court in my life,” Wembanyama later confessed. “I had perhaps 5% blood flow in my right arm. I’m feeling much better now, but honestly, that reality helps explain what I was dealing with back then.” His diagnosis shed light on the fatigue and difficulties he had described, and the road to recovery began.
Fast forward a little over a year, and Wembanyama and the Spurs have transformed into a different unit—unrecognizable from their Austin days last season. Head coach Mitch Johnson captured the shift: Wembanyama’s impact extends beyond scoring; his presence changes how opponents defend and how teammates operate. “He’s directly affecting the game or indirectly with his gravity,” Johnson said. “It sets the table for everybody else. It can be hard at times… I still can’t imagine a 22-year-old with so many gifts and weapons to simply rely on fundamentals to drive greatness.”
In the second game at Moody Center, Wembanyama delivered a standout performance, underscoring his growth. He led San Antonio in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks with a 28-point, 15-rebound, six-assist, four-block line in a 139-122 win over the Sacramento Kings. The display felt almost mythical given where he stood a year earlier, when a season-ending medical issue loomed over his career’s trajectory.
With the game well in hand, Wembanyama checked out with a lead and a grateful standing ovation from the Moody Center crowd. He tempered the moment with humility: “I think that was an above-average night for us and for me, but it wasn’t amazing either. My goal is to make that the standard.”
San Antonio currently rides a seven-game cushion for the Western Conference’s second seed and sits two and a half games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top seed. Even in victory, the Spurs’ aspiring iconoclast remains grounded about the bigger picture. As guard Stephon Castle put it, Wembanyama plays with a relentless competitive edge, regardless of the opponent or setting.
The mood in Austin during the Spurs’ Rodeo Roadtrip was charged but hopeful. The team wore City Edition jerseys that read “San Antonio” on the front as a nod to the fan base, and the crowd responded with a warm welcome as the Spurs swept Moody Center on the road for the first time in franchise history. Wembanyama acknowledged the support: being near home offered a meaningful break, a momentary respite before more demanding road games lay ahead.
Looking ahead, San Antonio isn’t counting on luck to sustain their momentum. They’ve started their annual road swing with a 4-0 record, signaling that the season’s arc may be shifting in their favor. As fans and analysts debate whether one young player can transform a franchise, Wembanyama’s continued development will be the deciding factor—not just in wins, but in redefining what success looks like for the Spurs in the post-All-Star era.
