If you’ve been watching the San Antonio Spurs lately, you might feel like you’re experiencing some déjà vu. Their generational talent, Victor Wembanyama, is suddenly “banged up,” missing games for “precautionary reasons.” The team’s competitive fire seems to have mysteriously flickered out. And most importantly, the losses keep piling up.
Sound familiar?
That’s because we’ve seen this episode before—back in the ‘96-’97 season when the Spurs strategically benched David Robinson (and Sean Elliott) with injuries, leading to an abysmal 20-62 record. Their reward? The first overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, which they used to select Tim Duncan and set up a dynasty that won five championships.
Fast forward to 2025, and the script feels eerily similar. The Spurs have their next generational big man in Wembanyama, but he needs a running mate—someone who can complement his skill set and bring a winning mentality. Enter Cooper Flagg, the most hyped high school prospect since LeBron James, a defensive monster with the versatility to be the perfect piece alongside Wemby.
With the NBA Draft Lottery looming and a stacked draft class headlined by Flagg, the Spurs seem to be playing the long game once again. Wembanyama’s “rest days” could be less about protecting his health and more about ensuring San Antonio stays in prime position for a top pick. It’s a tried-and-true formula for the franchise, and let’s be honest—it worked the first time.
If the basketball gods smile on them again, we might just see Wembanyama and Flagg form the next dominant duo in the league. And if that happens, well… the rest of the NBA better get ready, because we all know how this story ends.
What do you think? Are the Spurs playing chess while the rest of the league plays checkers? Or is this just another case of conspiracy theories running wild? Let’s hear it in the comments.
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