Victor Wembanyama Sets Next Big Goal: Elevating His Spurs Teammates

While the French superstar is taking the league by storm, Wembanyama understands that his teammates need their share of the spotlight too.

Sep 30, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) poses for photos during Media day at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama isn’t shying away from the expectations surrounding him after an impressive rookie season in the NBA.

However, when it comes to pressure from the outside world, he’s clear on where his focus lies.

“I don’t have any actual responsibility to any of you,” Wembanyama said on Monday while addressing the media. “Just the guys in the locker room and the training room with me, that’s it.”

At 7-foot-4, Wembanyama is already being hailed as a transformative player in the league, with analysts and fellow players predicting greatness in his future.

Yet, the young star remains unfazed by external opinions, confident that his path to success lies not in media narratives but in the relationships he builds with his teammates.

“I know eventually I’m going to be in those conversations,” Wembanyama said. “But my emphasis is going to be on winning and helping my teammates, making my teammates better.”

Sep 30, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) answers questions from the media during Media day at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

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His summer focus has been all about refining the fundamentals—an approach that speaks volumes about his maturity.

While many would expect a player of his unique physical gifts to rely on sheer talent, Wembanyama understands the importance of mastering the basics.

“The more I grow into my career, the more I realize it’s important to work on the fundamentals," Wembanyama said. "There’s a big emphasis that’s been put on my game this summer, like making an advantage of really simple situations.”

One area that’s seen significant attention is his finishing around the basket. Despite his height, Wembanyama knows that finesse is just as important as power, especially when dealing with the speed and agility of smaller guards.

“I worked a lot on finishing,” he explained. “Finishing things that might be natural to any other player—a guard, for example—but it’s stuff I had to put an emphasis on mentally and physically.”

For Wembanyama, success isn’t just about dazzling with highlight-reel plays. It's about consistently finding ways to win and elevate the play of those around him.

As his career progresses, there’s little doubt that his methodical approach and commitment to the fundamentals will only strengthen his case as one of the NBA’s next great stars.

For the Spurs, this is a promising sign. There’s no question that Wembanyama has the potential to be their next all-time great. If the team is to find success in the coming years, his influence will be monumental.

And that should be a frightening prospect for the rest of the league.

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