When discussing NBA teams’ rivalries, most fans think of the Boston Celtics versus the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.
These teams earned their position by reaching the highest level by being on a championship stage.
Meanwhile, the new era has been slowly emerging in the league as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have had an electrifying clash so far this season.
Some in the media and among fans are branding these new era teams as rivals, seeing Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the new faces of the league.
However, Wembanyama said that they were not there yet, but there was a possibility in the future for the fans to look forward to.
“I think we’re not quite there yet, but it’s a good sign that people see that it’s possible. It’s not like we’re the second seed right now. I don’t think anybody right now can claim to have a rivalry with them in the league. They’re in their own tier, but in the future, provided that they stay just as good and we reach that level, of course, it’d be great to have a rivalry. I’m very interested by it,” the Spurs superstar said.
Rivalry?
The NBA teams’ rivalry was earned, not given by fans, not because one team has more fans, but rather because of the blood, sweat, and heart that is put into the game.
The Celtics-Lakers have been involved in different eras, leading to many championship stages, considering their capabilities of acquiring five-star players, as well as the skill level of the franchise and front office.
The rivalry was determined by how the two organizations worked hard to compete to the same extent over a span of many years, as it was also a matter of duration, not just a single season.
In the case of Thunder-Spurs, Wembanyama could be right about downplaying its rivalry, because it was just all about the hype, not the fact that they were not at the highest stage yet.
