As much as fans will look at the box score and see that Victor Wembanyama led the San Antonio Spurs to their first NBA Finals appearance in 12 years by dominating the Western Conference Finals, his impact extended far beyond registering series-high points, rebounds, and blocks.
Moreover, his leadership was just as evident emotionally, especially in how he supported rookie Carter Bryant and made the latter aware that his presence helped the Spurs eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Advertisement
“I’m proud of you,” the 7’4” center told Bryant while sitting on the bench in Game 7.
Carter Bryant gave his all vs. OKC
From a statistical standpoint, Bryant’s contribution might appear modest, averaging 2.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.3 steals and 0.3 blocks over the seven games.
However, in the 8.1 minutes he played per game, he consistently brought energy, toughness and relentless effort on both ends of the floor. If the Thunder relied on hard-playing defenders like Jaylin Williams and Lu Dort, Carter matched that intensity whenever he stepped foot on the floor.
Advertisement
Sure, there were moments of adversity for Bryant. For instance, in Game 4, he received a stern coaching lesson from coach Mitch Johnson after forcefully bumping into Jaylin Williams, leading to a charge call following a turnover.
Even though the Spurs led 72-47 at that moment, the score didn’t matter to Mitch, who seemed very animated in passing his message to young Carter on the sidelines.
The exchange visibly affected the 20-year-old power forward. During a timeout later in the contest, Bryant had teary eyes and tried hiding them from the camera. That was when Wemby stepped in, embracing the role of a leader regardless of being two years older than Bryant, comforting him.
Advertisement
The impact of that consoling became evident in the last two games of the series. With San Antonio being down 3-2, Bryant responded with renewed energy and finished both Games 6 and 7 with a plus/minus rating of +2.
Dec 2, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) along with forward Carter Bryant (11) react from the bench during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn ImagesWembanyama inspired his teammates
Interestingly, what makes Wembanyama’s leadership so special is that it goes beyond motivating a single rookie. After the Spurs beat the Thunder 111-103 in Oklahoma in a nail-biting Game 7, the French phenom openly celebrated with his teammates, embracing them and showing genuine emotion.
Advertisement
In many ways, it was a reminder of how invested he is in the success of the entire group. His passion, competitiveness, and refusal to be complacent have become contagious throughout the roster.
It can be seen in the fact that so many players on the Spurs team, such as Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Dylan Harper, among others, were making their first playoff appearances, yet the patience and composure they are showing are otherworldly.
Perhaps the biggest reason is that Wembanyama is the team’s emotional leader on the court and in the locker room.
Advertisement
So, if the young Spurs team continues to feed off each other’s energy, it would be incredibly challenging even for the New York Knicks, who are on an 11-game winning streak, to beat them in the championship round.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.