{"id":615927,"date":"2026-02-21T14:47:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T14:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/615927\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T14:47:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T14:47:59","slug":"san-antonio-spurs-star-victor-wembanyama-plays-with-a-classic-nba-gene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/615927\/","title":{"rendered":"San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama plays with a classic NBA gene"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward\/center Victor Wembanyama (1) brings down a defensive rebound in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"eager\" fetchpriority=\"high\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward\/center Victor Wembanyama (1) brings down a defensive rebound in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward\/guard Keldon Johnson (3) drives to the hoop overPhoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward\/guard Keldon Johnson (3) drives to the hoop overPhoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) catches a high pass in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) catches a high pass in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"The San Antonio Spurs play the Phoenix Suns in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The San Antonio Spurs play the Phoenix Suns in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach (10) puts the ball uo in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach (10) puts the ball uo in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a play in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a play in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs center Bismack Biyombo (18) takes a moment during the National Anthem ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026, the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs center Bismack Biyombo (18) takes a moment during the National Anthem ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026, the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) battles for the rebound in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) battles for the rebound in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) fouls San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Suns forward Royce O&#8217;Neale (00) fouls San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard\/forward Devin Vassell (24) shoots for three points in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard\/forward Devin Vassell (24) shoots for three points in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) leads the team and fans in a cheer after the Spurs 121-94 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) leads the team and fans in a cheer after the Spurs 121-94 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks the ball in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks the ball in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) puts the ball up as Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) and forward Oso Ighodaro (11) defend in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) puts the ball up as Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) and forward Oso Ighodaro (11) defend in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward\/guard Keldon Johnson (3) shoots the ball over Phoenix defense in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward\/guard Keldon Johnson (3) shoots the ball over Phoenix defense in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) prays during the National Anthem ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026, the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) prays during the National Anthem ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026, the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) eyes the hoop in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) eyes the hoop in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) prepares to sub into the game in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) prepares to sub into the game in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"The Spurs Coyote waves a flag at mid court ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026, the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The Spurs Coyote waves a flag at mid court ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026, the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard\/forward Devin Vassell (24) shoots for three points in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard\/forward Devin Vassell (24) shoots for three points in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs fans wear colorful wigs ahead the Spurs\u2019 game against the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs fans wear colorful wigs ahead the Spurs\u2019 game against the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward\/center Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the hoop as Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) defends in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward\/center Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the hoop as Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) defends in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"The San Antonio Spurs stand on the court during the National Anthem ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026, the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The San Antonio Spurs stand on the court during the National Anthem ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026, the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the bench in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the bench in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) shoots the ball in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) shoots the ball in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) keeps the ball away from defense by Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) keeps the ball away from defense by Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) drives past Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) to the hoop in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) drives past Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) to the hoop in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) shoots for three over Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) shoots for three over Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs center\/forward Luke Kornet (7) dunks the ball in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs center\/forward Luke Kornet (7) dunks the ball in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) drives past defense from San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) as Barnes is held up by Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) drives past defense from San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) as Barnes is held up by Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) puts the ball up in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) puts the ball up in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward\/guard Keldon Johnson (3) wins the defensive rebound in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward\/guard Keldon Johnson (3) wins the defensive rebound in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach (10) dunks over San Antonio Spurs center Bismack Biyombo (18) in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach (10) dunks over San Antonio Spurs center Bismack Biyombo (18) in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) drives to the hoop as Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) defends in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) drives to the hoop as Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) defends in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) looks to set up a play in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) looks to set up a play in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) dribbles the ball in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) dribbles the ball in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) and forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defend against Phoenix Suns forward Isaiah Livers (18) in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson (3) and forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defend against Phoenix Suns forward Isaiah Livers (18) in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"\u00a0San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) blocks at attempt from Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) blocks at attempt from Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) catches his breath during a free throw in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) catches his breath during a free throw in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"A young fan watches a replay on the jumbotron in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>A young fan watches a replay on the jumbotron in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) defends against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) defends against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) defends against Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) as forward Luke Kornet (7) stands by in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) defends against Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) as forward Luke Kornet (7) stands by in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Jordan McLaughlin (0) waits for a play to set up as forward Rasheer Fleming (20) calls for a pass in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Jordan McLaughlin (0) waits for a play to set up as forward Rasheer Fleming (20) calls for a pass in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) catches his hand in the net in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) catches his hand in the net in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) plays in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) plays in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (15) battle for the tip-off in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (15) battle for the tip-off in the first quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"The San Antonio Spurs play the Phoenix Suns in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The San Antonio Spurs play the Phoenix Suns in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward\/guard Keldon Johnson (3) grabs the defensive rebound over Phoenix Suns forward Rasheer Fleming (20) in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward\/guard Keldon Johnson (3) grabs the defensive rebound over Phoenix Suns forward Rasheer Fleming (20) in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Fans celebrate being featured on the jumbotron ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Fans celebrate being featured on the jumbotron ahead of the Spurs\u2019 game against the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) heads to the locker room after the Spurs 121-94 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) heads to the locker room after the Spurs 121-94 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) leads the team and fans in a cheer after the Spurs 121-94 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) leads the team and fans in a cheer after the Spurs 121-94 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) waits for a play to set up in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) waits for a play to set up in the second quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) drives past defense from San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) drives past defense from San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Hey Austin, in case you haven\u2019t heard, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statesman.com\/story\/sports\/columns\/2024\/03\/16\/san-antonio-spurs-rookie-victor-wembanyama-is-learning-on-the-fly-but-also-from-the-best-in-nba\/72962176007\/\" data-link=\"native\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Victor Wembanyama<\/a> is in town.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-channels-pixel.ex.co\/events\/0012000001fxZm9AAE?integrationType=DEFAULT&amp;template=design%2Farticle%2Fplatypus_two_column.tpl\" alt=\"\" class=\"x1px y1px vh abs\" aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/><\/p>\n<p>With a couple of days to kill.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>The latest great San Antonio Spurs post has an intangible that can only be coached up so far. One can\u2019t manufacture competitive fire. He\u2019s out to destroy any opponent that dares step in his way.<\/p>\n<p>And the NBA\u2019s power dynamic is about to change.<\/p>\n<p>SPURS VS. KINGS<\/p>\n<p>When\/where:\u00a07 p.m. Saturday at Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>At just 22 years of age, Wembanyama plays with the desperation of a 15-year vet making one last playoff run before retirement. He has that killer gene, the same one coach Gregg Popovich, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker carried in an historic era.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p class=\"MM_onlineOnly\" title=\"CCI Online Only\">MORE CED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statesman.com\/sports\/columns\/article\/texas-basketball-lsu-ncaa-tournament-21356020.php\" data-link=\"native\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">It isn&#8217;t always pretty but Texas basketball is rolling toward NCAAs<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cVic doesn&#8217;t care whether we\u2019re playing pickup or one-on-one, he&#8217;s going to play hard to win. That&#8217;s just who he is,\u201d said Spurs teammate Stephon Castle. \u201cHe\u2019s trying to change that narrative of not trying to play hard and trying to try to save your body. But that&#8217;s the kind of competitor he is and I didn&#8217;t really expect anything less from him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) puts the ball in to score in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) puts the ball in to score in the fourth quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center. The Spurs won the game 121-94.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Winning is a non-negotiable for the Spurs&#8217; 7-foot-4 French condor who goes after every shot on defense as if it was the final seconds of Game 7 of the Finals. He finished with a modest 17 points and 10 rebounds while swatting away five Phoneix Suns shot attempts in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statesman.com\/sports\/nba\/article\/spurs-vs-suns-victor-wembanyama-21356442.php\" data-link=\"native\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Thursday\u2019s 121-94 blowout<\/a> of the Phoenix Suns in front of 16,258 at Austin\u2019s Moody Center. He even flashed the Hook\u2019em sign to the fans after swishing a 3-pointer in the third quarter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAustin is cool,\u201d \u00a0Wembanyama\u00a0said. \u201cThese are my people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>So where did you get this competitive drive, I asked following the game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it comes from this team toward myself and obviously toward the game,\u201d he said. \u201cThat&#8217;s the game I love and I try not to take it for granted. I&#8217;m on that court and I&#8217;m trying to win, you know? When I was a kid, if I saw myself playing soft at any game, I wouldn&#8217;t be proud.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>MORE CED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statesman.com\/sports\/columns\/article\/texas-basketball-lsu-ncaa-tournament-21356020.php\" data-link=\"native\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Why baseball\u2019s Ruger Riojas has the look of a Friday starter for Texas<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) looks to pass to guard De'aaron Fox (4) in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) looks to pass to guard De&#8217;aaron Fox (4) in the third quarter as the Spurs take on the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Wemby made his all-star statement<\/p>\n<p>The Spurs won their seventh straight game and sit in second place in the Southwest Division at 39-16, the Association\u2019s third-best record behind the\u00a0 Detroit Pistons and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who are 1-4 against the Spurs, by the way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>San Antonio isn\u2019t a one-man band by any stretch \u2014 Castle and De\u2019Aaron Fox are one of the quickest backcourts in the league and forward Harrison Barnes won a championship with Golden State in 2015 \u2014 but there is zero doubt that it all starts with the big man in the middle, just like it did with the Admiral and Timmy during the glory years.<\/p>\n<p>Sign up for Ced&#8217;s Corner<\/p>\n<p>Sign up for<a href=\"https:\/\/www.statesman.com\/newsletters\/cedrics-corner\/\" data-link=\"native\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Cedric Golden&#8217;s weekly newsletter<\/a> which drops each Tuesday with hot takes from the unique perspective of the Statesman&#8217;s resident sports columnist who was named the 2025 National Sports Media Association&#8217;s Texas sportswriter of the year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>But\u00a0Wembanyama is on the short list of MVP favorites as the league lurches toward the playoffs, a list that includes former NBA champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of OKC, Denver\u2019s Nikola Jokic along with Detroit\u2019s Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles\u2019 Luka Doncic. And they were all on hand for the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, where thanks to the league\u2019s tallest superstar, the game took on a different look than in recent years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"MM_onlineOnly\" title=\"CCI Online Only\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.statesman.com\/sports\/college\/longhorns\/softball\/article\/vivi-martinez-texas-softball-longhorns-21362500.php\" data-link=\"native\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MORE HORNS: Texas SS Vivi Martinez is back<\/a><\/p>\n<p>With sagging TV ratings having become the norm over the last decade-plus, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver revamped the game into a round-robin format with one team comprised of international stars and two others of Americans playing four 12-minute games.\u00a0It was a smashing success thanks to Wembanyama and Minnesota&#8217;s Anthony Edwards, who linked up to singlehandedly breathe life back into what have come a tired, defenseless dunk fest of bored millionaires who had one foot on the court and the other in the limo line heading to the airport.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) warms up ahead the Spurs\u2019 game against the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 4\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) warms up ahead the Spurs\u2019 game against the Suns on Thursday night, Feb. 19, 2026 in the first of two \u201cI-35 Series\u201d games in Austin at the Moody Center.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Wembanyama and Edwards played tirelessly on both ends and inspired others, like \u00a0former Spur Kawhi Leonard \u2014 who later scored 31 points against Wemby\u2019s Team World squad \u2014 to go all out. In short, two of the league\u2019s brightest young stars came out playing hard and the others followed their lead.<\/p>\n<p>Wembanyama scored 14 points with six rebounds and three blocks in less than 10 minutes of Game 1. That\u2019s a monster quarter by league standards, but it wasn\u2019t enough after one of teammates left Team Stars guard Scottie Barnes open for a 3-pointer at the buzzer that delivered a 37-35 overtime win. Wemby screamed in disgust. He wanted it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MM_onlineOnly\" title=\"CCI Online Only\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.statesman.com\/sports\/college\/longhorns\/article\/texas-mens-tennis-ita-championship-ohio-state-21360415.php\" data-link=\"native\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MORE HORNS: Texas tennis wins natty<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0His team lost that day, but the league won. The message was went. The kid is an assassin, just like Jordan. Just like Kobe.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not going to lie,\u201d Edwards said to the TV cameras. \u201cWembanyama set the tone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Spurs are healthy and stalking a title<\/p>\n<p>This is a different Wemby, especially from a physical standpoint. Just one year ago, he was struggling following the all-star break before he was diagnosed with a blood clot. He said he had only 5% blood flow in his right arm, which played a role in him being sluggish before doctors ran a battery of tests.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>The timing was brutal. He was in the middle of a breakout season averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and league-best 3.8 blocks before the team shut him down for the season after 46 games.<\/p>\n<p>Now healthy and feeling much more energetic in the dog days of a long season, he\u2019s keeping those size 20.5 Nike GT Cut 4&#8217;s on the gas, 12 years after the organzation won its last title. The Spurs are growing into a legitimate championship contender and unlike earlier this season when they were playing down to less talented teams, they\u2019re crushing everything in their wake because their best player demands that effort every night, not just from them, but from himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Just ask the Lakers, who were without LeBron James and Donic when the Spurs rolled into crypto.com Arena on Feb. 11 with a fire-breathing Frenchman ready to put on a show for the Hollywood elite in attendance. He scored 37 of his 40 points in the first half of the Spurs&#8217; 136-108 win and became only the third player in 50 seasons to score 40 points in less than 28 minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVic came out and smacked them in the mouth first and it made everybody else follow,&#8221; Fox said. \u201cWe&#8217;ve had times where we&#8217;ve played down to a team that hasn&#8217;t played well this year, but with Vic, he doesn&#8217;t care who they put in front of him. If you have a jersey on and you\u2019re in front of him, he wants to kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Wembanyama&#8217;s averaging 24.2 points and 11.1 rebounds, and while the blocks are down to 2.7 from last season\u2019s 3.8 \u2014 he says opponents aren\u2019t venturing into the paint too much these days \u2014 the picture is clear. The Spurs, picked to win around 44 games by prognosticators in the preseason, are well ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n<p>When asked about some league followers who believe the team\u2019s lack of playoff experience will hurt them at the money time, he shrugged it off.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it&#8217;s useless to linger on these thoughts,\u201d Wembanyama said. \u201cWe will see at the end of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Beware, NBA. A killer is on the loose.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"San Antonio Spurs forward\/center Victor Wembanyama (1) brings down a defensive rebound in the first quarter as the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":615928,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3797],"tags":[81493,7,16322,6,7218,446,969,474,4075,4074,534,693],"class_list":{"0":"post-615927","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-antonio-spurs","8":"tag-austin-texas","9":"tag-basketball","10":"tag-columnists-opinions","11":"tag-nba","12":"tag-nba-all-star-game","13":"tag-nba-basketball","14":"tag-san-antonio","15":"tag-san-antonio-spurs","16":"tag-sanantonio","17":"tag-sanantoniospurs","18":"tag-spurs","19":"tag-victor-wembanyama"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116109173718273657","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=615927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615927\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/615928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=615927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=615927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=615927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}