Even though the San Antonio Spurs held the upper hand over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the regular season, many still believed the defending champions were the superior team and would prove it in the playoffs. After all, they have been through the trenches, winning the Larry O’Brien trophy by winning Game 7 of the NBA Finals last season against the Indiana Pacers.
And no matter how talented a team is, postseason experience is the ultimate equalizer and the Thunder had loads, while for many of the Spurs, this was their first rodeo. Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper — all newcomers on the big stage.
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However, judging by Game 1’s result and Wemby’s unreal performance, the Spurs have proven that they don’t need years of experience, just the ultimate will to win. It was that incredible determination that led NFL legend and popular sports commentator Shannon Sharpe to declare that for all the Thunder’s chutzpah, they have finally met their match.
Nothing to worry about
It’s one thing for a 22-year-old to tally 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists a steal and three blocks on this big a stage; it’s another for him to exude supreme confidence despite the odds. Playing in front of a hostile crowd and against a team that features the reigning two-time league MVP and a defense that is capable of stifling the league’s best offensive weapons, Wembanyama showed no fear.
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And according to Sharpe, Wemby embraced the moment, his swagger telling everyone around him, “I got this.”
“Early in the game, he tried to throw one crosscourt and he threw it too high. He put his hand up like, ‘That’s me. I got this. Don’t worry about it,'” Sharpe said on “Nightcap.”
“And you see him going to the huddle like, ‘I got this. Don’t even worry about it. Why y’all look concerned? Get the concern off your face. Wemby here. I got this. Don’t worry. They can’t do nothing,'” Sharpe added.
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At the end of the day, the Thunder were helpless to stop Wembanyama’s barrage of buckets, especially in the second overtime, where he poured in seven points to take the Spurs to victory.
“You know, there’s nothing worse than being in a situation where you can’t do anything about it,” Sharpe stressed.
A performance that will be remembered for a long time
Having been a media personality for more than two decades, Unc told his co-hosts Joe Johnson and Chad Johnson that he has seen his fair share of legendary performances from some of the NBA’s greatest.
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“I’m a little older than you guys, so I’ve seen some performances. I saw LeBron James when he scored 48 and had 20 straight, then 25 straight,” Sharpe recalled. “I saw Shaquille O’Neal when he had 40 and 20 against the Indiana Pacers. I remember Tim Duncan almost having a quadruple-double — 21, 20, 10, and 8. I’ve seen some performances.”
“This ranks up there.”
Despite the otherworldly performance, the fact is that it was only one game and the Spurs need to win three more times to book a spot in the NBA Finals. With the Thunder being a well-coached squad with players who can execute a defensive game plan to a T, many expect Wembanyama to encounter more resistance in the coming games.
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And the true test of greatness is whether he can perform under duress as he did in Game 1.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.