Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are determined to turn last season’s heartbreak into fuel for a championship push after falling short against the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals. Wembanyama, who averaged 26 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks in the Finals, admitted to restless nights and emotional struggles as he processed the defeat.
Despite his usual disciplined routine, the 7-foot-4 star found sleep hard to come by, saying, “I’ve had a few sleepless nights, maybe not sleepless nights, but hard to find sleep sometimes or hard emotions… But the reason is just a point where you accept that you have to go through it and you have to feel all of it. We’re in a great spot. We’re very hopeful, very ambitious, and we’re ready.”
Wembanyama dedicated his offseason to personal and team growth, inviting teammates to Paris for bonding and training sessions. He also trained with French rugby club Provence Rugby to enhance his lower-body strength and physical resilience, building on his reputation for unorthodox preparation.
Spurs point guard Dylan Harper emphasized the importance of off-court chemistry: “You hang out off the court, you get comfortable around your teammates, it allows you to be vulnerable. The biggest thing is accountability and… we’re always going to hold each other to the same standard.”
The Spurs’ Finals defeat was marked by blown double-digit leads, including a record-setting Game 4 comeback by New York. The pain echoes San Antonio’s infamous 2013 Finals loss, which ultimately inspired their 2014 title run. Forward Julian Champagnie sees a similar opportunity now: “I feel like we’ll definitely use this past year in helping us push past a lot of stuff this year and get to where we want to get to.”
For Wembanyama, the bitter loss has become the ultimate motivator: “I couldn’t imagine better motivation.”
San Antonio enters the new season driven to complete their mission—this time, with redemption as their rallying cry.
