Victor Wembanyama and Spurs Defeat Kings in Preseason Matchup
Heading into the 2026-2027 NBA season on October 20, the San Antonio Spurs and 2.24-meter French star Victor Wembanyama defeated the Sacramento Kings 126-97 in a preseason matchup on Friday. The game served as the fifth preseason contest for the Texas franchise and their second victory, showcasing the team’s readiness following a June finals appearance where they fell 1-4 to the New York Knicks.
Wembanyama and Harper Lead Spurs to Preseason Wins
Wembanyama logged 17 minutes of playing time against Sacramento, recording 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists in a lopsided contest against one of the weaker teams in the league. Teammate Dylan Harper contributed 19 points, helping the Spurs jump out to a 71-37 halftime lead that they maintained comfortably through the final buzzer.
The victory against Sacramento followed a 123-103 victory against the Phoenix Suns, where Wembanyama bounced back from three consecutive preseason losses to lead all scorers with 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. During the Phoenix matchup, Wembanyama opened the game with a defensive rejection followed by a dunk, though he missed his first three attempts from beyond the arc. During the same game, Wembanyama provided a pass to teammate De’Aaron Fox, who contributed 9 points and scored with a one-handed acrobatic shot that excited the Spurs bench.
San Antonio enters the new campaign carrying the weight of a 62-20 regular-season record from the previous year, while the league’s annual general managers survey, released on Thursday, positioned the Spurs as the primary favorite to capture the 2027 title with 50 percent of the vote. Furthermore, 93 percent of general managers named Wembanyama as the player they would build a franchise around if starting a team today, while also projecting him to win both the Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards. The general managers survey also noted that the New York Knicks were projected to top the Eastern Conference, while the Philadelphia 76ers received votes to contend for the title following additions that included LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.
Opening Night Showdown Against Oklahoma City
The matchup serves as a rematch of the Western Conference Finals, where San Antonio edged Oklahoma City in a grueling seven-game series.
The Thunder will feature Canadian guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player who aims to lead his squad in response to last postseason’s exit. General managers picked Oklahoma City as the closest challenger to San Antonio in the Western Conference title race.
Classic Edition Uniforms
The San Antonio Spurs introduced their 2026-27 Classic Edition uniform ahead of the new campaign.
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