The San Antonio Spurs dismantled the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games to reach the NBA Finals. Comparisons to some of basketball’s most iconic careers are becoming impossible to ignore as Victor Wembanyama continues his remarkable playoff run.
Victor Wembanyama follows a path shared by NBA legends. 
May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
ESPN insider Brian Windhorst compared Wembanyama’s current trajectory to those of Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James during a recent playoff breakdown. Windhorst examined how generational stars handled deep postseason runs at a similar age.
“1995, Shaq’s third year, they make the Finals, they beat Jordan. They go play the Rockets, they get blitzed. LeBron 2007, the emotional overcoming of the Pistons, LeBron’s fourth year, age 22 just like Victor. They go into that series and we’re not emotionally able to compete. Here we have Victor, 22 years old, third year, coming off emotional series, will he go the same path as those two?”
O’Neal reached the Finals in Year Three and got swept by Houston. James reached the Finals in Year Four. James was 22 years old and got outclassed by the Spurs. Now Wembanyama walks the same road.
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Wembanyama plays a modern game, shoots from the three-point line, and takes care of his body. The 7-foot-5 Frenchman posted 22.1 points.
In Game One against the Thunder, he scored 41 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in double overtime. Thus producing what Hall of Famer Paul Pierce called the best individual showing he had ever witnessed. Wembanyama ranked first in player efficiency rating, rebounds, and blocks among all playoff performers who logged at least 10 games.
The supporting cast mirrors 1995 Orlando with uncomfortable precision. Dylan Harper is 20. Stephon Castle is 21. De’Aaron Fox anchors the veteran layer. The structure is almost identical to Penny Hardaway running alongside O’Neal on a Magic team that felt unstoppable right up until it was not.
Wembanyama gets Game One of the Finals against the New York Knicks on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET at Frost Bank Center. He can become the second-youngest Finals MVP in league history.
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O’Neal was swept in his series, while James lost in five games. Wembanyama has the chance to answer a question neither of them could.