Victor Wembanyama, Chris Paul share a special moment
The The San Antonio Spurs advanced to the finals of the NBA Cup with an exciting 111:109 victory over the powerful Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. All-Star Victor Vembanyama and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul shared a touching moment after the competition.
After the game, Vembanyama and Paul exchanged pleasantries after the final buzzer. Paul played for both the Thunder and the Spurs during his career, and was a teammate of the 21-year-old last season.
The night marked Vembanyama’s first game back as he suffered a left calf strain earlier this season. He came off the bench for the first time in his career and scored 22 points, nine rebounds and two assists. over 21 minutes.
“This is our first time playing (with) everybody (healthy),” Vembanyama told Michael C. to ESPN’s Wright. “We were already a solid team 20-plus games ago. It’s just experience. We’re just taking it. And the difference between us and (Oklahoma City) is we haven’t had this many reps who recognize what it takes to win. And this is our next step.
“This OKC team, they’re not just first in the league. They’re way ahead of everybody. And when you watch them, no matter who, whether it’s the 12th seed or the starting five, whether they’re playing against the 15th seed or any type of game, they play the same way. They enjoy the little things that allow them to take the next step, and we’ve got to take the next step.”
Spurs went 9-3 with Wembanjama out and his team-mates instilled a sense of confidence in how far they can go at full strength.
“They proved to me almost every night that I had nothing to worry about,” Vembanyama said. “The brand of basketball that we play, that they played, makes me proud because it’s getting closer to ideal basketball in my opinion. It’s just nice to see.”
The Spurs are now 18-7 on the year, while the Thunder are 24-2.
2025-12-14 15:30:00
