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Wembanyama Praises Spurs Teammates After Clutch Win
San Antonio's young star downplays his own heroics in victory over Suns.
Mar. 22, 2026 at 12:48am
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San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was the hero in a narrow 101-100 win over the Phoenix Suns, hitting the game-winning shot in the final seconds. However, Wembanyama was quick to deflect credit, praising his young Spurs teammates and their collective effort in the clutch victory that clinched a playoff spot for San Antonio.
Why it matters
Wembanyama's humility and team-first attitude stand out in a league often dominated by individual stars. His willingness to share the spotlight highlights the Spurs' strong team chemistry and balanced attack, which have fueled their surprising rise up the Western Conference standings.
The details
With the game tied 99-99 and 1.1 seconds remaining, Wembanyama hit a jumper to give the Spurs the lead. He acknowledged the distractions around him, including a fan spilling wine on him, but said the shot was something he had been practicing with assistant coach Tim Martin. Wembanyama also explained his strategy of waiting until the final seconds to take the shot, in order to give the Spurs a chance at an offensive rebound if he missed.
- The Spurs trailed for most of the game against the Suns.
The players
Victor Wembanyama
The 21-year-old Spurs center, a two-time NBA All-Star, hit the game-winning shot in the final seconds against the Suns.
De'Aaron Fox
The Spurs' veteran point guard, who was named the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year in a previous season.
What they’re saying
“We've got De'Aaron Fox, former Clutch Player of the Year, so that's a big component of it. We've got talented guys all around. We can put five offensively talented guys on the court at any point of the game, so it matters a lot. The fact that we don't have experience can be on our side.”
— Victor Wembanyama, Spurs Center
“It's not a meaningless game. I should say it's a meaningful game, close to the playoffs, so it's a good test right now.”
— Victor Wembanyama, Spurs Center
“It was hard to take in all the stimulus around me. I had the fans looking at me. This guy spilled wine on me, and that was before the end of the game, by the way. I made the shot, I sprang back on defense and kind of hit a guy, and I've got wine on my shorts now. There was a lot going on. I didn't see all my teammates come up in a second. It felt like I was getting mobbed.”
— Victor Wembanyama, Spurs Center
“In this situation, you want to wait. If you take the shot too early, whether you make it or miss it, you're shooting yourself in the foot 'cause the defense will probably get the rebound and have some time or inbound and have some time. So, you want to shoot it as close to one or two seconds. This way we have a chance to get an offensive rebound in case if we miss, and in case we make it, they don't have time.”
— Victor Wembanyama, Spurs Center
What’s next
The Spurs have clinched a playoff spot with the win and will look to continue their strong season as they prepare for the postseason.
The takeaway
Wembanyama's selfless attitude and focus on team success over individual accolades exemplifies the Spurs' culture and has been a key factor in their surprising rise to contender status this season.
