Days after agreeing to a monster contract extension, Victor Wembanyama reminisced about the last three years of his NBA career. The highlights. The multiple accolades. The latest postseason push that helped make the extension an easy decision.<\/p>\n
His basketball profile continues to grow on and off the court.<\/p>\n
On July 10, the San Antonio Spurs announced that Wembanyama agreed to a five-year, $252 million extension<\/a> to remain with the team. The deal begins with the 2027-28 season and starts at 25 percent of the salary cap \u2014 even though Wembanyama was eligible for a supermax deal worth 30 percent of the cap.<\/p>\n In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, Wembanyama offered his thoughts on how his new contract can help the Spurs maintain their championship-contending window for years to come. Saving the Spurs approximately $50 million over the life of his extension was about maximizing the opportunity to remain title contenders, as cap savings could allow the team flexibility in trades or to sign players to add to or maintain its depth.<\/p>\n With Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper on rookie deals and with potential raises coming, the cap number will be important in the next couple of years.<\/p>\n Per The Athletic\u2019s John Hollinger, keeping Wembanyama at 25 percent of the max \u201cwould also allow the Spurs to use their nontaxpayer midlevel exception in the 2027 offseason and remain below the first apron, something that otherwise would have been impossible without trading a rotation piece.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a good team, we had a very good playoff run, and we had a very good regular season. But what\u2019s even better and greater is our potential,\u201d Wembanyama said during an interview for NBA 2K27, as he was announced as one of the cover athletes<\/a> for the popular video game series. \u201cThe reality of today\u2019s NBA is that often, the potential of teams is not fulfilled because of money. I just want to make sure it\u2019s never our case.\u201d<\/p>\n Wembanyama, a two-time NBA All-Star, was the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year and the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winner this past season. The 7-foot-4 do-it-all player averaged career highs of 25 points and 11.5 rebounds and led the league with 3.1 blocks per game in reaching his first NBA Finals. Wembanyama received first-team All-NBA honors and finished third in NBA MVP voting behind Oklahoma City\u2019s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver\u2019s Nikola Joki\u0107.<\/p>\n Victor Wembanyama’s top moments of the 2026 postseason<\/p>\n While appreciative of how quickly accomplishments come, Wembanyama expects them.<\/p>\n The 22-year-old has built a stellar basketball r\u00e9sum\u00e9 playing professionally in France, and his game has matured into a level that puts him among the NBA\u2019s elite. He\u2019s built a reputation where he\u2019s admired by many and even became a bit of a villain during the playoffs due to several flagrant fouls and an ejection.<\/p>\n Being on the 2K27 cover is considered a \u201cbig milestone\u201d to him, but like the other accolades, it was anticipated.<\/p>\n \u201cJust like every achievement in my career, I wish it happened sooner,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s all happening very quick, but I am not satisfied, and I want it to happen quicker. It\u2019s definitely a big milestone, something good. That\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n With an 8-foot wingspan, Wembanyama is seen \u2014 on the court and in gaming \u2014 as something of a cheat code. He has the shooting and ballhandling abilities of a guard. He\u2019s blocked 3-point attempts<\/a>. And with every game, his confidence grows.<\/p>\n And the more he does, the more people talk.<\/p>\n \u201cI see it, and I feel it with people around me,\u201d he said. \u201cWhether it\u2019s fans or interactions, even haters, you know it\u2019s everywhere. But mentally, it\u2019s not taking a toll on me; I\u2019m just living my career.<\/p>\n \u201cI hear it the most with journalists and media. But, yeah, it comes with it. I guess it\u2019s only a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Being on the cover of a premier basketball simulation game, one of the best-selling video games on the market, will draw more attention to Wembanyama among basketball fans and gamers who might not watch the sport closely.<\/p>\n