Victor

Wembanyama

Wembanyama and the Spurs notched their first win of the season on Saturday, rebounding from a tough loss to the Rockets the night prior to defeat the Mavericks in Dallas. He finished with four blocks, bringing his season total to 12. Wemby led the league in blocks last season and won Defensive Player of the Year honors. He’s on track to duplicate those feats in 2026-27. The Spurs play three games in Week 2, starting Tuesday against the Kings.

Wembanyama bounced back nicely after going 1-of-13 with 12 points in Tuesday’s loss to the Thunder. The 22-year-old center had 25 points on 9-of-21 shooting, but the Spurs lost again. Amen Thompson blocked Wemby’s shot at point blank range in the final seconds to seal the win for the Rockets. Wembanyama and the Spurs will look to get in the win column against the Mavericks on Saturday.

Well, this wasn’t how Wemby wanted to start the season. He was able to do enough at the free throw line to get to double figures and record a double-double, but this was an abysmal start to the season for him as a scorer. There is no reason for managers to be worried about this since this will likely be his worst offensive performance of the season. He’ll look to bounce back against the Rockets on Friday.

Jeff McDonald also reported that coach Mitch Johnson intends to use this starting lineup on Tuesday against the Thunder. The Spurs will use their three guard lineup with Champagnie and Harris coming off the bench. We’ll see if the starting lineup sticks that way beyond this upcoming Tuesday, but you can feel good to draft Vassell to stream him in on opening night.

Wemby may have missed all three of his three-point attempts, but the final stat line was what fantasy managers have come to expect. While a few managers may take Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with pick 1.1, many consider it a two-horse race. If it isn’t Wembanyama going first overall, then it will be Denver’s Nikola Jokić.

After recording just one assist in Thursday’s exhibition against the Hawks, Wembanyama recorded six on Saturday. The Spurs didn’t have De’Aaron Fox in either game, and his absence likely contributed to Wemby’s increased playmaking. Fox is dealing with undisclosed soreness; hopefully, it won’t keep him out for the Spurs’ October 20 opener against the Thunder.

Wembanyama had a relatively quiet night in his first preseason action, but it will change nothing about his fantasy outlook. He should go no lower than second in drafts, regardless of league format, and you can make a strong case for Wemby at 1.1.

Per usual, the NBA will have its brightest stars playing on Christmas Day. The NBA Finals rematch will start the day at 12 p.m. ET and will be followed by Heat-Celtics, 76ers-Lakers, Thunder-Timberwolves and Nuggets-Warriors. Aside from the team and player rivalries that will add to the drama, this will also be LeBron James’ return to Los Angeles after spending the last eight seasons as a Laker.

Wembanyama qualified for a five-year max extension worth 30 percent of the Spurs’ salary cap, but his decision to go with a max that takes up 25 percent of the cap gives the team a little more flexibility. The 7-foot-4 phenom helped lead San Antonio to the NBA Finals this season, and at 22, Wemby still hasn’t reached his full potential. Friday’s news will remove any potential financial drama, and the Spurs can now focus on taking care of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper in the coming years. Fantasy-wise, Wembanyama is right there with Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the most valuable players regardless of league format.

While he had moments of dominance in his first NBA Finals appearance, Wembanyama’s conditioning and the Knicks’ ability to limit his effectiveness at times were issues. Dominant as a rim protector in Game 5, the 7-foot-4 center was unable to assert himself consistently on the offensive end, even with Karl-Anthony Towns in foul trouble for most of the night. These finals will serve as a learning experience for Wembanyama, who will have an argument to be Pick 1.1 in fantasy drafts next fall. Also, keep in mind that he won’t turn 23 until January. There’s a lot more for Wembanyama to learn before he reaches his prime.