Spurs Starter, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024: Wembanyama Called Out by NBA Veteran

Your daily briefing on what's going on with the San Antonio Spurs, including news, draft and more.

Mathey Gibson | Dec 29, 2024

Dec 27, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) falls onto the court after getting fouled in the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

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San Antonio Spurs

Lou Williams, a Los Angeles Clippers legend and three-time Sixth Man of the Year, knows a thing or two about earning respect in the NBA.

So when he calls someone out, people listen. During a recent episode of FanDuel TV’s Run it Back, Williams didn’t hold back while discussing San Antonio Spurs supertstar Victor Wembanyama’s performance against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

“I’m old school, Wemby gets no props from me today with all that flopping last night,” Williams said, referring to Wembanyama’s physical battles in South Philly. “You caused all that commotion down there in South Philly, you ain’t get no props. Hey man, welcome to the NBA, I love the fact that he’s doing these things on a defensive end. With that being said, stop flopping. Like, you’re too big, too tall, you’re too dominant for the flopping, too great of a basketball player to cause all this commotion. Get that out your system.”

Williams’ message wasn’t malicious—it was more of an old-school vet giving some tough love to a young star. At just 20 years old, Wembanyama is still finding his footing in the league, and while his talent is undeniable, he’s bound to make some mistakes.

Flopping might be one of them. Still, this feels like a moot point in the long run.

Sure, he’ll have to learn to hold his ground against the NBA’s physicality, but he’s got time—and plenty of it.

The News

1. READ: Spurs Bounce Back With Crucial Road Victory Over Nets

The San Antonio Spurs came up short on the road Monday night, falling to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Check out the full story at the link above.

2. READ: San Antonio Spurs Forward Named NBA Western Conference Player of the Week

Victor Wembanyama was honored after a pair of spectacular performances.

Check out the full story at the link above.

3. READ: Spurs Rumored to Target Kings Star De’Aaron Fox in Bold Trade Move

The San Antonio Spurs might be on the verge of making a major move for a star player.

Check out the full story at the link above.

Today's Schedule

vs. Minnesota Timberolves. Sunday, Dec. 30th. 7:00 p.m. CT.

The Full Schedule

The San Antonio Spurs played their first game of the year on Oct. 25, kicking off the second season of Victor Wembanyama's young NBA career. Now that it's through, here's a preview of some upcoming dates and times (all in CST) throughout the season to watch for:

San Antonio Spurs Regular Season Schedule

Dec. 31: New Year's vs. LA Clippers

Jan. 23-25: Paris Games vs. Indiana Pacers

Feb. 3: Rodeo Road Trip Begins at Memphis Grizzlies

Feb. 14-16: All-Star Break

Feb. 20: Spurs Get Moody vs. Phoenix Suns
Feb. 21: Spurs Get Moody vs. Detroit Pistons

March 21: Longest Home Stand Ends vs. Philadelphia 76ers

April 6: Final Road Trip Begins at Portland Trail Blazers
April 13: Final Home Game vs. Toronto Raptors

On This Date in Spurs History ...

December 29, 2022: Keldon Johnson posted 30 points against the Knicks to help lead a 122-115 victory. Two days later against the Mavericks, he became the first Spur player in the first four years of his career to have back-to-back 30-plus point games since Manu Ginobili in 2005.

Quote of the Day

"Sometimes we have to remind (Gregg Popovich) that we're up by 20. We have to remind him sometimes that we won a couple games in a row."
- —Tim Duncan/Manu Ginobili