Nick Young Predicts Early Playoff Exit for 'Young, Stupid' Spurs

Former NBA player says Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will 'get their a** whooped' in the playoffs

Mar. 27, 2026 at 2:09am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young has delivered a blunt assessment of the San Antonio Spurs' playoff prospects, predicting an early exit for the young team despite their impressive regular season. Young compared the Spurs to last season's Houston Rockets, calling them 'young, stupid, and gonna get their a** whipped' in the playoffs. He dismissed the Spurs' success, saying Victor Wembanyama is only averaging 24 points per game, not the 30 some have suggested. Young believes the Spurs lack the playoff experience to compete with more veteran teams.

Why it matters

The Spurs have put together one of the most impressive regular seasons in recent NBA history, led by the highly touted rookie Wembanyama. However, Young's criticism highlights the doubts some have about the team's ability to translate their regular season success into playoff wins, given their relative lack of postseason experience.

The details

Young did not hold back in his assessment of the Spurs, comparing them to last season's Houston Rockets who were eliminated in the first round despite a 52-win season. He believes the Spurs, like the Rockets, are 'young, stupid, and gonna get their a** whipped' in the playoffs. Young dismissed Wembanyama's impact, saying he's only averaging 24 points per game, not the 30 some have suggested. He believes the Spurs are not 'playoff tested' and the only team they'll beat is the Phoenix Suns, with 'everybody else, they gonna get their a** whooped'.

  • The Spurs currently sit second in the Western Conference at 55-18, including a 23-2 record since February.

The players

Nick Young

A former NBA guard who played for the Los Angeles Lakers and other teams.

Victor Wembanyama

The highly touted rookie playing for the San Antonio Spurs, who is averaging 24.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.0 blocks per game.

Harrison Barnes

A veteran forward on the Spurs roster with playoff experience.

De'Aaron Fox

A Spurs guard who has appeared in just one playoff series in his first eight NBA seasons.

Kelly Olynyk

A veteran center on the Spurs roster with playoff experience.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“They're the Houston Rockets of last year... young, same thing, Houston Rockets. They young, stupid, and gonna get they a** whipped.”

— Nick Young, Former NBA player

“You act like Victor is averaging 30, but he averaging 24 points. They are not tested, not playoff tested. The only team they're gonna beat is Phoenix. Everybody else, they gonna get they a** whooped.”

— Nick Young, Former NBA player

“If Wemby is who we think he is, that man could go get it done. We have never seen anything like this as far as this guy and his talent, what he's doing on the floor. But his leadership, I like his leadership, his want to win, his spirit, it is contagious.”

— Kendrick Perkins

“We got one disadvantage. It's that we don't have experience. But that could be an advantage too, because if we don't know if it's impossible, then we might still do it.”

— Victor Wembanyama, Spurs player

What’s next

The Spurs will look to prove Nick Young wrong as they enter the playoffs, where they will face a tough test against more experienced teams.

The takeaway

Young's criticism highlights the doubts some have about the Spurs' ability to translate their regular season success into playoff wins, given their relative lack of postseason experience. However, the team's impressive regular season and the presence of a talent like Wembanyama suggest they may have what it takes to make a deep playoff run, even if they are considered 'young and stupid' by some.