Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs dethroned the Oklahoma City Thunder, 111-103, in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night at Paycom Center, heading to the NBA Finals for the first time in 12 years.
The 4-3 win over the Thunder secured the Spurs’ ticket to the NBA Finals, where they will face the New York Knicks in a rematch of the 1999 Finals.
NBA Superstars React to Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs Winning the West
The Spurs forced a Game 7 after a 118-91 Game 6 win over the Thunder that tied the best-of-seven series at 3-3,
In Game 7, San Antonio took control from the tip and led by as many as 14 in the first quarter. Oklahoma City regained its footing in the second quarter, taking a 53-49 lead late in the period before San Antonio scored seven straight points to lead by three at the half.
From then on, the Spurs never relinquished the lead, building double-digit leads in the second half and holding off the Thunder’s repeated rallies to claim the Western Conference title.
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama led the Spurs’ attack with 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. The French center grabbed 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in 42 minutes and was named the Western Conference Finals Most Valuable Player.
Wembanyama averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.7 blocks in 37.7 minutes across the seven-game series.
His masterful performance in the West Finals earned admiration from past and present NBA superstars, who witnessed his growth from a generational prospect into an efficient and dependable big man on basketball’s premier stage.
Former NBA champion Paul Pierce led the list of superstars who expressed admiration for the Spurs.
Pierce, who helped the Boston Celtics win an NBA title in 2008, appeared stunned by how San Antonio built a championship-caliber team with most of its superstars on rookie deals.
“Never seen this a team best players all on rookie deals in the chip,” Pierce wrote on X.
Never seen this a team best players all on rookie deals in the chip
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) May 31, 2026
“He got his team to the Chip first yr in playoffs 😳🤔this may be the start of the Wenbanyama era right now when u type n Victor on google his name is first lol,” the NBA veteran added.
Spurs great and four-time NBA champion Manu Ginobili congratulated the current team on earning a ticket back to the NBA Finals.
“Amazing! The @Spurs are going back to the NBA Finals! So so so cool what this young team accomplished. Just 4 more now! 🙏,” the Argentine superstar, who now works for the Spurs as special adviser to basketball operations, said.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, whose team lost to the Spurs in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals, tweeted, “Great basketball.”
Great basketball
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) May 31, 2026
Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown echoed Gobert’s comment, writing, “Great game, great series.”
Veteran forward and Wembanyama’s compatriot Nicolas Batum shared his take on the win’s significance for France, writing: “Great sport day for our country 🇫🇷.”
Great sport day for our country 🇫🇷
— Nicolas Batum (@nicolas88batum) May 31, 2026
Two-time NBA All-Star Isaiah Thomas posted a shoutout to his state-mate and San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson, who is from Seattle, Washington.
“S/o to Mitch Johnson!!!! Keep putting on for the state 🏁,” Thomas posted.
S/o to Mitch Johnson!!!! Keep putting on for the state 🏁
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) May 31, 2026
Tyrese Maxey and Tyler Herro praised Spurs players Luke Kornet and Keldon Johnson for their quality play and minutes on the way to a Game 7 victory.
“Big time block from Kornet man!!!” Maxey posted.
“Yeaaaaa Keldon!!!,” Herro commented after the 6-foot-5 Spurs forward and Kentucky standout dropped 11 points in 16 minutes of action in Game 7.
NBA veteran and Olympian Dwight Howard, meanwhile, poked fun at Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, who played fewer minutes.
“Harrison Barnes won the series, and he ain’t even play lol,” Howard wrote.
The Spurs will have a three-day on-court break before the NBA Finals against the well-rested Knicks, who swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to earn the Eastern Conference title and a ticket to the Finals.
