Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama drops bar on being better than ‘best on planet’

San Antonio Spurs' star Victor Wembanyama recently clarified his mindset heading into the 2026-27 NBA season. The former number one overall pick has acknowledged that his goal is no longer to be the "best on the planet," but rather to be "better than last year." This shift in perspective comes in the wake of the Spurs' disappointing 2025 NBA Finals loss to the New York Knicks.

Wembanyama, widely regarded as the best defensive player in the league and a force to be reckoned with around the basket, recognizes that he still has significant growth to achieve. While many acknowledge that Wembanyama has considerable work ahead of him to reach the "best in the planet" status, there is no denying his impact on the court.

Analysts believe that the next phase of Wembanyama's development should involve further leveraging his defensive presence and reducing his reliance on perimeter attempts, which often provide opportunities for opponents to exploit his physical advantages. The Spurs are set to begin their new season on October 20 with a Western Conference Finals rematch against the Oklahoma City Thunder.