Why Wembanyama and Spurs don’t win

In the final seconds of his first NBA regular-season victory, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama ran back onto the court, high-fived fans and celebrated with his teammates, hugging the shooting guard. . . . Devin Vassell in midfield.

After a season-opening loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the Spurs earned a 126–122 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets on October 27.

“I really love winning,” Wembanyama said when he was asked about the emotions after the match.

“It’s what I love most in life and of course it feels great.”

Unfortunately for Wembanyama, that feeling has been hard to come by. The Spurs won three of their first five games to open the season, but have since gone on a franchise-record losing streak that reached 17 games on Monday against those same Rockets.

They have blown double-digit leads (nine, the most this season, including eight in a row, tied for the longest such streak in the last 25 years). They’ve taken a beating: five losses by at least 20 points, tied for second in the NBA. They have the league’s 30th-ranked offense and 24th-ranked defense, a combination that produces the worst point differential in the NBA.

Losing is not something Wembanyama has had to experience much in his young career. Playing for Metropolitans 92 in the French LNB Pro A league a season ago, he led his team to the league final and was named MVP.

In fact, Wembanyama’s only experience with so many defeats came while he was playing a completely different sport.

The 7-foot-4 rookie told reporters that the most consecutive losses he had ever had came while he was playing soccer as a kid, as a goalkeeper.

“We didn’t really have a good team,” laughs Wembanyama, adding that it was difficult to defend the goal when we were regularly faced with three-on-one counterattacks.

Even then, Wembanyama remained in good spirits. It’s something he’s had to do this season with the Spurs. Despite averaging 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks as a rookie (numbers only Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson have achieved since the league began tracking blocks in 1973-74), the Spurs are near the bottom of the NBA, ahead of only the Detroit Pistons in winning percentage.

Still, despite all the defeats, Wembanyama will not allow himself to become discouraged; He can see the bigger picture.

“Of course,” Wembanyama said when he was asked if he hated losing as much as he loves winning after Monday’s loss to the Rockets.

“I mean, of course it’s not easy. But we have no choice. We have to keep going and keep working. The good thing is that no one doubts that in the long run we will be the winners. We have people who have the knowledge and experience. So which, of course, I hate to lose, but I stay focused on the long-term goal.”