Victor Wembanyama’s unprecedented confession after the loss to the Lakers

When Victor Vembanyama recorded 40 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks San Antonio Spurs‘ first game of the season, a 125-92 win over the Dallas Mavericks, The NBA world was sent into a frenzy. In his third season, Vembanjama began to look like a real MVP candidate, and the Spurs began the 2025-26 season with a perfect 5-0 record.

Believe it or not, this was the first time the Spurs started the season 5-0. Tim Duncan didn’t achieve this, and neither did David Robinson. But Vembanjama did, and Spurs started the new season as one of the best teams in the league.

Since their perfect start, San Antonio has lost back-to-back games, falling 118-116 on the road against Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday evening. Coming off a measly nine points, nine rebounds and four blocks in a 130-118 loss to the Phoenix Suns, Wembanyama was looking for a crucial opportunity to bounce back on the big stage against the Lakers.

That never happened, as the Spurs star finished with just 19 points and eight rebounds in the loss.

After five consecutive games in which he recorded a double-double of 24 points, Wemby scored less than 20 points in consecutive games, failing to record a double-double in any of them. He also fouled out in Wednesday’s loss in Los Angeles.

All in all, San Antonio, and especially Vembanjama, are taken out of their comfort zone in their losses against Phoenix and Los Angeles. Wemby admitted as much after Wednesday’s loss, claiming the game is “fast right now,” according to Michael C. Wright from ESPN.

“Personally, I haven’t seen teams defend like this,” Vembanyama said. “So we have to adapt as a collective. That was the case in the Phoenix game as well. Sometimes we were stuck. We are learning.”

In the first five games, Vembanyama shot 56.3 percent from the floor and had just nine turnovers in 169 minutes. During the Spurs’ last two losses, he shot just 32.1 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 11 times in a total of 67 minutes.

The good news is that Wembey and Spurs are not worried at all, as there are always ups and downs in every season.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson recognizes this and has made it clear that the team will look to put Vembanyama in better spots to not only avoid immediate double-teams, but also allow the young superstar to work with space.

“No worries, really,” Vembanyama continued. “As we got better as a team, but also individually, it was as if the opponents somehow stepped up defensively. I feel that the game is fast right now. Of course we will catch up.”

The Spurs and Wembanjama will be back in action and looking to end their current two-game skid on Friday against the Houston Rockets in the first NBA Cup game of the season.