The San Antonio Spurs are going to the NBA Finals after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder. Victor Wembanyama scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Game 7. He was named Western Conference Finals MVP.
One of the most respected coaches in the sport stepped in to praise the Spurs’ prodigal talent that has taken over the NBA.
Becky Hammon Heaps Praise On Victor Wembanyama
Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon is a three-time WNBA champion. She knows how hard it is to build a franchise that reaches the Finals. And when she was asked about San Antonio’s remarkable run, she made her feelings clear about Wemby.
“Sweet, it’s awesome,” Hammon said of the Spurs making the NBA Finals. “It takes a lot of people doing a lot of things right to build that. That doesn’t just happen overnight. Obviously, you don’t just have a franchise guy in Wemby, you have a generational guy. It’s been really fun to watch them play.”
The numbers back her up completely. Wembanyama averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game throughout the series against OKC, shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three-point range.
He opened the series with 41 points and 24 rebounds in a double-overtime win in Game 1, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to put up 40 or more points and 20 or more rebounds in a Conference Finals debut.
Hammon’s broader point is just as important as the praise for Wembanyama individually. The Spurs were 34-48 just last season. They are now in the NBA Finals. That is an insane turnaround for the franchise, especially given that they haven’t made the playoffs in six consecutive seasons.
Head coach Mitch Johnson has developed one of the best defensive systems in the league. Stephon Castle has emerged as a legitimate two-way star. Dylan Harper delivered one of the most stunning rookie postseason performances. The Spurs’ team built around Wembanyama is truly impressive.
The Spurs will face the New York Knicks in a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, a series San Antonio won 4-1. That team featured the legendary Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
Wembanyama is locked in and has his sights set on the NBA title. It’ll be interesting to see how he matches up against OG Anunoby in the finals. There will be immense pressure on the 22-year-old’s shoulders, but if there’s one thing we know, it’s that he can lead a franchise to glory.
