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.
His basketball profile continues to grow on and off the court.
On July 10, the San Antonio Spurs announced that Wembanyama agreed to a five-year, $252 million extension to remain with the team. The deal begins with the 2027-28 season and starts at 25 percent of the salary cap — even though Wembanyama was eligible for a supermax deal worth 30 percent of the cap.
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.
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.
Per The Athletic’s John Hollinger, keeping Wembanyama at 25 percent of the max “would 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.”
“We have a good team, we had a very good playoff run, and we had a very good regular season. But what’s even better and greater is our potential,” Wembanyama said during an interview for NBA 2K27, as he was announced as one of the cover athletes for the popular video game series. “The reality of today’s NBA is that often, the potential of teams is not fulfilled because of money. I just want to make sure it’s never our case.”
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’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver’s Nikola Jokić.
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While appreciative of how quickly accomplishments come, Wembanyama expects them.
The 22-year-old has built a stellar basketball résumé playing professionally in France, and his game has matured into a level that puts him among the NBA’s elite. He’s built a reputation where he’s admired by many and even became a bit of a villain during the playoffs due to several flagrant fouls and an ejection.
Being on the 2K27 cover is considered a “big milestone” to him, but like the other accolades, it was anticipated.
“Just like every achievement in my career, I wish it happened sooner,” he said. “It’s all happening very quick, but I am not satisfied, and I want it to happen quicker. It’s definitely a big milestone, something good. That’s done.”
With an 8-foot wingspan, Wembanyama is seen — on the court and in gaming — as something of a cheat code. He has the shooting and ballhandling abilities of a guard. He’s blocked 3-point attempts. And with every game, his confidence grows.
And the more he does, the more people talk.
“I see it, and I feel it with people around me,” he said. “Whether it’s fans or interactions, even haters, you know it’s everywhere. But mentally, it’s not taking a toll on me; I’m just living my career.
“I hear it the most with journalists and media. But, yeah, it comes with it. I guess it’s only a good thing.”
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.
NBA 2K26, which featured Gilgeous-Alexander as a cover athlete, was the No. 1-selling sports game last year and No. 2 overall video game, so he is aware of the potential ascension as the worlds of basketball and popular culture fuse.
Wembanyama joined a list of 2K cover athletes that also includes Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and Luka Dončić. He played the game growing up with his brother and uncle in France. He fondly recalls the time EuroLeague teams were added to the game in 2K14.
“I know it means a lot culturally, too,” Wembanyama said. “It’s hard to realize for me that I’m taking more and more space, more real estate in the world of basketball, in what basketball means, in professional basketball.”
