Victor Wembanyama delivered a 17-foot, pull-up jumper with one second left to lift the San Antonio Spurs to a 101-100 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday at Frost Bank Center. “We ran the play and De’Aaron reacted well… kind of told me what to do,” Wembanyama said about the final possession.
The Spurs trailed by 10 with 4:30 remaining but forced key stops in the closing minutes. “We were lacking precision… setting the screens, rolling hard, being in position early,” Wembanyama explained.
Wembanyama described the final shot as straightforward under pressure. “In these situations, the key is to not overcomplicate… it’s pretty straightforward,” he said, adding that the moment was fun despite the intensity. “We hadn’t had this type of situation in a while… it was a good test.”
The Spurs’ success in clutch moments, according to Wembanyama, stems from both talent and leadership. “We got De’Aaron Fox… former Clutch Player of the Year… talented guys all around. We can put five offensively talented guys on the court at any point,” he said.
On the mental approach, Wembanyama stressed avoiding complacency despite securing a playoff spot. “First instinct is to be proud… but the key for me is to try to not care… I’m scared to become complacent,” he said.
Wembanyama reflected on his development and preparation over the season. “It’s all things we’ve been working on… I’ve been working on this shot with Tim Martin as far as six years ago… it’s just reps,” he said.
The Spurs’ defensive identity also impressed Wembanyama. “I can feel we get to things without even thinking about it… we can anticipate… it looks like this on film too,” he said.
He also shared a lighter moment from the game, describing the post-shot chaos. “It was hard to take in all the stimulus around me… I had the fans looking at me… a guy spilled wine on me,” Wembanyama said.
Wembanyama praised his teammates’ roles and effort behind the scenes. “Keldon has sacrificed more than anybody on this team… he has outshone everybody… he brings energy no matter what time of the day,” he said.
Wembanyama finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds, while De’Aaron Fox added 23 and Julian Champagnie contributed 14. San Antonio controlled the boards 42-37 and limited Phoenix to key defensive stops in the final seconds to secure a return to the playoffs after a six-season absence.
