The San Antonio Spurs surprised a lot of people after turning into one of the best teams this season, led by Victor Wembanyama, who is challenging Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the NBA MVP award.
Despite their success, there were still plenty of doubters because of their lack of playoff experience. The Spurs have vets like Harrison Barnes and Luke Kornet with a championship pedigree from their time with the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics, respectively.
Wembanyama is also not worried about what their critics are saying. He made it known to ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt after the Spurs’ 127-113 win over the Warriors on April 1.
“We don’t have playoff experience, right? Screw it,” Wemby said, via Stephen Michael of Sports Illustrated. “I mean, that’s all we got. We’re not going to play any different because it is this way. I mean, we’re still gonna play 100% and try to win this championship. Screw it.”
The Spurs are set to return to the postseason for the first time since 2019, when they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
Former Spurs Player Warns Team, Wemby
Wembanyama’s confidence is through the roof, and he’s not afraid to tell the entire NBA about what’s on his mind.
However, former Spurs player and current ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson gave Wemby and company a harsh reality check on a recent episode of the Road Trippin’ podcast.
“The first time you do it, it’s a little different, isn’t it?” Jefferson said, via Basketball Network. “The first time you go against somebody for seven games in a row and you guarding the same person seven games in a row, then you got a two-day break. Then you got another five, seven games that you got to go. Then you get a couple of day break, then you do it again.”
GettyVictor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs joking congratulates Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at Frost Bank Center on February 7, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
The one-time NBA champion also warned that most championship teams have usually gone through playoff failures and heartbreaks, something that the current Spurs roster has not experienced.
He said:
“Playoff experience means that you’ve gone through the ups and downs. (It) doesn’t mean that your offense isn’t game, your game isn’t nice, you don’t have the best players, you don’t know the systems. But if you’ve never done anything along that journey that starts in mid-April and goes to the end of June, that is two months of basketball. That is very different basketball.”
The last time the Spurs won a playoff series was in 2017, when Kawhi Leonard was still with the team.
Wembanyama Second in Latest MVP Poll
GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder knocks the ball away from Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the third quarter of a semifinal game of the Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena on December 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps revealed the results of the network’s last straw poll for the NBA MVP. A total of 100 media members were polled early last week, with Gilgeous-Alexander earning 88 first-place votes.
Wembanyama came in second with eight first-place votes, while Nikola Jokic was third with three first-place votes. Luka Doncic was fourth, but he didn’t receive any first-place votes, while Jaylen Brown, who got one first-place vote, made it into the Top 5.
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