Victor Wembanyama couldn’t hold it in any longer. As the final seconds ticked away in San Antonio’s Game 7 win over the Thunder, the 22-year-old superstar grabbed at his jersey, screamed toward the floor and broke down in tears after leading the Spurs back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.
The Spurs stunned Oklahoma City 111-103 on the road to eliminate the defending champions and officially announce themselves as the NBA’s next powerhouse.
“Winning the Larry O’Brien, it’s a childhood dream,” Wembanyama said. “Having a real shot at it, having a chance, tangible chance at winning it, realizing a dream. … The day we win it, speaking for myself, it’s going to be an amazing day of a realization of a dream. It’s hard to put into words. It’s almost like the meaning of my life.”
Wembanyama spent nearly two full minutes screaming, crying and hugging teammates after the buzzer sounded in an amazing show of emotion the NBA world lapped up.
Victor Wembanyama in tears after making the NBA Finals.
This is the emotion and heart the NBA needed. pic.twitter.com/Q1pg6yZQp8
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 31, 2026
The scary part for the rest of the league is how young this Spurs team still is.
San Antonio became the first NBA Finals team ever to have its two leading scorers age 22 or younger.
Stephon Castle continued his breakout postseason run, while rookie Dylan Harper delivered huge moments throughout the Western Conference Finals.
“My dream has been always to play in the Garden in the NBA Finals,” Harper said. “I get to do that my first year.”
Wemby dominated the series from start to finish. He averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and recorded 19 blocks across seven games.
His 41 point masterpiece in Game 1 immediately set the tone for the series.
“I found resources inside of me,” Wembanyama said. “Relentlessness. I already knew that, but doing it at this level, I mean, this is the best basketball on the planet that’s being played right now.”
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson believes Wembanyama’s obsession with greatness is what separates him.
“He has such a vision, in my opinion, of who he wants to be as a person and a player,” Johnson said. “The commitment and investment he puts in that vision is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”
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