Victor Wembanyama has already proved why he’s a generational talent in his first two years in the NBA, and ahead of his return to regular season action following a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder which cut his previous campaign short, expectations are higher. But as Wembanyama continues to improve, he’s also going to gain more influence within the team behind the scenes.
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Wemby was a key topic on the latest edition of the Road Trippin podcast, where the panel — Richard Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, Channing Frye, and Allie Clifton — spoke about what kind of season the Spurs might have. And the consensus was overwhelmingly positive.
Perkins, for instance, predicted that Wembanyama will win Defensive Player of the Year. “And he’s mean. He’s a f******” pitbull,” barked the former NBA Champ. He’s not wrong. Wemby won rookie of the year by a landslide in 23-24, and his stats were trending even better in 24-25 before the injury. Jefferson, however, decided to take the conversation in a new direction.
The former Cleveland Cavaliers man shared a rumor that points to Wemby being a bit of a politician in the Spurs organization. “There’s rumors in the basketball universe that very early on, Wemby told the people in San Antonio I need more help. He’s like, I need better basketball players around me,” he claimed.
This wasn’t an insult. If anything, the panel was impressed at how quickly the young baller wanted to succeed in San Antonio.
“Mind you, he is the type of player that you move quick on. Like Zion Williamson,” added Jefferson. “They put a team around him. He is one of those players that if you get you move quickly. Blake Griffin…they drafted him and they were like, ‘Here’s Chris Paul. Here’s Jamal Crawford.'”
There’s a good reason that Wemby may refuse to wait for assistance, at least according to Perk. “History tells us that like 7-foot above guys they don’t have 14-15-year careers. I hope he that does, but history tells us that his window is not like everybody else’s,” he stated.
With Kelly Olynyk joining the Spurs via trade and adding much-needed depth, the team looks sharper than ever. Pairing Olynyk’s floor spacing and shot-making with Wembanyama’s defensive presence opens up a ton of possibilities.
Add in smart depth moves like Lindy Waters III for perimeter shooting, and you’ve got a roster that’s far more balanced than before. If Wembanyama stays healthy and the new pieces buy into the vision, the Spurs might just surprise the league in 2025–26.
