The San Antonio Spurs entered the season projected to be a play-in team, but Victor Wembanyama insists that their offseason work made sure they would exceed those expectations.
Depending on who you asked at the start of the season, expectations for the San Antonio Spurs would have differed.
Answers ranged from "make the playoffs outright," "just win 41 games," and "win the play-in tournament."
No one in their right mind was expecting the Spurs to chase the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top spot in the Western Conference and be one of the best teams in the NBA. Of course, Victor Wembanyama's ascent to an MVP-level could have been predicted, although the rest of the supporting cast is clearly ahead of schedule.
According to Wemby, all of it was planned.
Wemby Reveals When the Spurs Got to Work
After winning only 22 games in his rookie season and 34 last year, Wembanyama was tired of losing. It's clear that he's the leader of the team, and the rest of the Spurs will happily follow his example. He hates the Thunder? Alright, so does everyone else on the roster. He wants to beat a drum after each win? Sure, why not?
He wants to spend the offseason getting his mind in shape and studying film? Then so does everyone else. According to Wemby, the Spurs have been the hardest-working team in the league since the end of last season.
"I hope we can be this locked in for all the off-seasons to come because it was a really high-level preparation, mentally, physically for everybody," he explained. "The amount of film we did, this is the reason we were so ready for this season. So, that's what I think when I look back."
While some fans and experts simply wanted to see the Spurs make some noise at the end of the season, Wembanyama has always been up front that it's all about winning.
"My goal was never to make the play-in or win the play-in," he added. "It was to get into the playoffs with no question. And that would have made a successful season at the time. But it's hard to always look at a season as a whole."
He won't admit it, but even Wembanyama is surprised by just how far the Spurs have come, and he was willing to hold them to a higher standard than pretty much anyone else.