Victor Wembanyama Averaged 25-12-3 and That Finals Loss Still Doesn't Matter For His Future

Holy smokes, what a Finals! The San Antonio Spurs' incredible run to the NBA Finals finally ended Saturday, and man, it stings a little to see anyone lose that big stage. They dropped the series to the New York Knicks 4-1 in five games, and yeah, there were definitely some questionable coaching calls and late-game struggles that cost them. But listen up, Emerald City, because while the loss hurts, it changes absolutely nothing about what we just witnessed from Victor Wembanyama. This kid is the real deal, and this season was just a preview.

Wemby's Cheat Code Season Was Just The Beginning

I'm telling you, it's happening. We just saw an MVP-level campaign from Victor Wembanyama in only his third NBA season. The phenom absolutely balled out, finishing second overall in 9-cat and fifth in High Score fantasy formats. Think about that for a second! He averaged an insane 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, not to mention 2 threes and 4 stocks. Oh, and he snagged his first Defensive Player of the Year award, leading the entire NBA in blocks. Seriously, this guy checks every single box. He’s the cheat code we all expected, and he was a beast in the postseason too, averaging 23.8 points, 10.9 boards, 2.7 assists, a steal, 3.5 blocks, and 1.8 threes with killer 49/34/85 shooting splits. The only knock? He needs a back-to-the-basket move. He's a bit too reliant on his jump shot for a player his size, but you know he's going to be in the lab this summer, probably with Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Once he adds that, it's game over. Even without it, he's the number one pick next season.

Fox's Finals Struggles Open the Door for New Fantasy Stars

While Wemby soared, things got a bit dicey for other Spurs' guards, especially De'Aaron Fox. Sure, his connection to Wemby's gravity means investing in these guys is usually good business. Fox finished as a top-50 player in High Score and gave you seventh-round value in 9-cat, even with dips in usage and shot volume. But his Finals performance? Red flags, man, serious red flags. He played through a high ankle sprain, which is tough for a guy who lives on agility and speed, but his clutch-time mistakes and getting outplayed by Dylan Harper were a real problem. So, if you're looking at fantasy drafts for next season, definitely target Harper or Stephon Castle instead. Harper looks like an ideal secondary creator who can score at all three levels and stuff the stat sheet, maybe a seventh-rounder. Castle still needs work on turnovers, but his growth as a shooter and defender makes him a strong fifth-round target.

Big Contracts, Draft Picks, and a 62-Win Season: What's Next for San Antonio

Beyond the big names, Devin Vassell didn't hit his 98th ADP, so expect him to slide to the tenth or eleventh rounds, offering modest points, threes, and defensive stats. Keldon Johnson took home Sixth Man of the Year, which is awesome, but he's more of a fringe fantasy asset, while Julian Champagnie emerged as a super reliable three-point streamer. Both of them were sneaky good on the boards too. A 62-win season and an NBA Finals trip from one of the youngest cores in the league tells you everything about where this team is heading. They're tight on cap space, but they've got the 20th pick in the draft and three second-rounders. Everyone's talking about trading Fox, but with his big contract and his play when healthy, he’s probably not going anywhere. It’s gonna be a wild offseason watching what this young squad does next.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.