Former NBA Star Fires Shade at Spurs' Victor Wembanyama
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Over the last couple of years, San Antonio Spurs young star big man Victor Wembanyama has been one of the most talked about players in the NBA.
Truthfully, the league has never seen anything quite like Wembanyama. From a physical perspectively, he is an absolute unicorn. His skill-set is also unique.
Unfortunately, last year in his second NBA season, he was forced out of action due to blood clot issues.
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates after a 131-121 victory against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 10, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates after a 131-121 victory against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 10, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Photo byHeading into year three, the Spurs are once again a team that many think could make a jump. That will depend on what kind of season Wembanyama can put together.
Read more: Lakers' Marcus Smart Sends Bold Luka Doncic Message
With that being said, one former NBA star spoke out with harsh shade about Wembanyama. The shade came from a place of honesty, but it was a still a very critical take.
During a segment of his "520 Podcast," former star point guard Jeff Teague made it clear that he would take Paolo Banchero over Wembanyama at this point. He also went on to throw shade at the San Antonio center.
"I'm taking him over Wemby, I'm taking P5 over Wemby," Teague said. "Right now, I'm taking him over Wemby, bro. The reason I say he's better than Wemby is because Wemby ain't really done nothing. We just like Wemby because he's a freak. He's a phenomenal player, but I'm just going to go with what I see."
Last season with the Spurs, Wembanyama played in 46 games. He averaged 24.3 points per game to go along with 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals, while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor and 35.2 percent from the three-point line.
To compare, Banchero appeared in 46 games as well. He averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists and shot 45.2 percent from the floor and 32 percent from three-point range.
Read more: Report: Warriors Could Look to Sign Sleeper Free Agent Guard
On the outside looking in, Wembanyama did produce better numbers. Teague is entitled to his opinion, but it's a very debatable take.
It will be interesting to see what the 21-year-old big man has in store for the 2025-26 season. Coming back from a scary health situation, he'll be looking to make up for lost time and to lead San Antonio back to the playoffs.
Before long, he could make Teague completely change his opinion if he plays up to his full potential.
For more on the San Antonio Spurs and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
5 minutes ago
- Forbes
Are The San Antonio Spurs Gearing Up For A Trade This Coming Season?
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: Interim head coach Mitch Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs ... More looks on against the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter at Chase Center on April 09, 2025 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The San Antonio Spurs had a very strong draft, selecting Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant, both of whom could become foundational pieces moving forward. In free agency and on the trade market, however, the Spurs made some decisions that now, collectively, seem curious. Spending big on backup centers San Antonio first signed Luke Kornet to a four-year deal worth $41 million, albeit just under $24 million are guaranteed. They then traded for Kelly Olynyk, via the Washington Wizards, and took on his $13.4 million for 2025-2026 on top of it. That's $24.4 million for both of them this season, which is a fair bit of financial cheddar when you consider neither will have a starring role, as both play behind Victor Wembanyama and Jeremy Sochan. Of course, one can argue that Olynyk in particular should be able to play alongside the star Frenchman, but nevertheless, it seems optimistic to expect Olynyk to play an enormous amount of minutes given that he's 34 and played just over 20 minutes per game last season. As such, it's fair to wonder if the Spurs are gearing up to a mid-season trade, if they're in the hunt for a playoff spot. Endless possibilities The Spurs have a plethora of trade assets, both in form of player contracts and draft selections, so it'd make sense if the team is actively looking to make a move near the February trade deadline, especially by using the contracts of Kornet or Olynyk to facilitate a deal. After all, investing over $24 million on backup big men seem at-best optimistic, even if it's only for one year. It thus lends itself to the theory that the Spurs did it to keep their options open. Last trade deadline, San Antonio acquired point guard De'Aaron Fox, and it isn't inconceivable that they're planning on making an acquisition of similar quality, to pair with Fox and Wembanyama. They can easily match salaries for most players, as Keldon Johnson's $17.5 million, and Harrison Barnes' $19 million are also movable, and then align value via draft selections. This isn't to say the Spurs are looking to dramatically accelerate their timeline. The organization have shown patience, even after the selection of Wembanyama, and seem to insist on creating a long-term competitive window, which is the right play. It'll be interesting how to see how they play this over the next 6-12 months. Unless noted otherwise, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
USA Today
34 minutes ago
- USA Today
WATCH: All-Access with Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry at a celebrity golf event
Every summer, Stephen Curry takes to the golf course. The Golden State Warriors superstar is a high-level player on the links and often impresses with his golfing ability. This summer, Curry returned to the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament, and as you would expect, he had some memorable moments as he made his way around the course. Some highlights of Curry's golfing exploits undoubtedly made their way onto social media. The four-time NBA champion finished fifth overall, with a score of 58 points, losing to Joe Pavelski, who had 73. Curry won the championship in 2023, but clearly didn't do enough to add a second chip to his golfing resume. Nevertheless, the overall event was a fun watch. If you missed it, and would like to see the event from Curry's perspective, he posted an "All Access" video to his personal YouTube channel, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at his participation in the celebrity event. You can watch the full All-Access video by clicking on the embedded link above. This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Bulls, Billy Donovan agree to contract extension: Source
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has inked an extension with the franchise, per a team source. Donovan will enter his sixth season at the helm, having amassed a 195-205 record since 2020. The Bulls have finished the past three seasons in the NBA's Play-In Tournament. Donovan, who will be a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 2025 induction class, was notably pursued by the New York Knicks during their coaching search before they were ultimately turned away. Negotiations between the Bulls and Donovan reportedly preceded the Knicks' interest. Advertisement Following the 2023-24 season, Donovan's staff was shaken up, with assistants Chris Fleming and Maurice Cheeks let go. Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig were later brought in. Donovan's time with the Bulls began following six seasons as head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, which concluded in 2020, when Donovan was named the NBA co-Coach of the Year. 'It became apparent that we couldn't provide (Donovan) the information on the future direction of the team over the next several seasons to give him the level of clarity that he understandably desires at this stage of his career,' Thunder general manager Sam Presti said in a statement after mutually parting ways with Donovan following the expiration of his contract. Now, Donovan will head a team that's made a single rotational change — trading guard Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Isaac Okoro — since May's ninth-place finish, which resulted in a first-round out in the Play-In Tournament. Donovan, who also coached two NCAA championship teams at Florida, is set to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in September.
