Even one of the frontrunners for the 2025-26 NBA MVP award has to pinch himself when facing the Warriors.
San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, after leading his team to a 127-113 win over Golden State on Wednesday, discussed the surreal feelings he gets when facing Draymond Green and other members of the Warriors dynasty — all players he grew up idolizing.
“It’s inspiring. It’s very inspiring,” he said postgame. “Draymond is part of this group of guys that I watched growing up that I’ve watched in their prime, winning championships, making crazy playoff runs. So, yeah. It always feels weird to share the court with these guys.
“Unreal, a little bit.”
Quite the adjective to use from someone whose unique skillset is unlike anything we’ve ever seen on a basketball court.
So much so that many refer to him as an “alien,” most notably by LeBron James in 2022.
But even the 7-foot-4 prodigy can appreciate who and what came before him.
San Antonio had a dynasty of its own that began before Wembanyama was even born. Led by Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, fellow Frenchman Tony Parker and Manu Ginóbili, the team dominated the league for nearly 15 years and won five championships.
Similarly, Golden State made five consecutive NBA Finals appearances from 2014 to 2019, and the team won four titles in eight years.
Wembanyama’s current Spurs aren’t a dynasty — yet — but the current hottest team in the NBA has won 10 games in a row and is the first team ever to win 26 of 28 games while averaging 120-plus points and 30-plus assists.
Perhaps Green and the Warriors dynasty, from watching them to playing against them, will rub off on Wembanyama and his Spurs.
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