Spurs Fiesta 5: Victor Wembanyama Shines, But San Antonio Loses Preseason Opener

The San Antonio Spurs lost a tight preseason contest to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 10, 2023

Spurs Fiesta 5: Victor Wembanyama Shines, But San Antonio Loses Preseason Opener /

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San Antonio Spurs

1. SPURS DROP PRESEASON DEBUT "Despite his efficient 20-point outing, a second-half offensive slowdown proved to be the downfall of the young team, as it fell 122-121 to the Thunder."

2. NO LINEUP LIMITS "Sometimes, I'm playing the same role as Tre Jones. Sometimes Zach Collins, Devin Vassell. There are really no limitations. On a lot of set plays, it depends on where you are. I can be the point guard just like I can be the wing. It doesn't matter,” Wembanyama said.

3. WEMBY PRAISES CHET "[Chet] is a really good player," Wembanyama said. "I played against him once a couple of years back. He's part of the great players of this generation.

"Holmgren has certainly been talked about as such since being drafted in 2022, but his injuries have prolonged his debut. Summer League proved that he's ready to play, however, as the center put up impressive numbers on both ends of the floor."

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) with the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at Paycom Center. — San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) with the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at Paycom Center / Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports

4. SIR'JABARI RICE PUTTING HIS STAMP ON TEXAS "Between his strong defense and explosive offensive capabilities, he'll fit right in back "home" in Austin, as he's grown to know it as. In San Antonio, he'll be able to plug himself in and not only contribute, but learn from the Spurs' more experienced players and Gregg Popovich. A win-win, right?"

5. SPURS NEXT GAME The San Antonio Spurs are back in action Friday at the Frost Bank Center when the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat comes to town. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on TNT.

Published Oct 10, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.