Spurs Looking to Build Around Victor Wembanyama This Season

Following Dylan Harper's impressive rookie campaign alongside starting backcourt duo De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson faces an intriguing tactical puzzle in assembling the roster around franchise cornerstone Victor Wembanyama. Competition for minutes is set to increase further with the arrival of 34-year-old veteran Tobias Harris, who is also making a push for a spot in the starting five.

"We are fortunate to have such great depth, so we'll need to be creative when fitting the pieces together. I want to see them on the floor together much more often than last season. All three have tremendous potential to complement one another. They possess elite talent, play unselfishly, and channel their energy in the right direction. Hopefully, they will share more court time this year so this can evolve from a coaching concept into genuine on-court chemistry built through reps and game experience."

"I didn't know Tobias personally before the move, but several members of our staff already held him in very high regard. His reputation precedes him—both as a professional and as a person. Bringing in a player with his pedigree and experience, who actively chose to come here, is huge. He certainly had plenty of other options and wasn't just looking for any landing spot. We couldn't be more excited. He fits our locker room culture seamlessly."

"Victor has tremendous room for growth in every facet of his game. Offensively, I believe he needs to keep controlling the game and dictating the tempo—not just by scoring, but by creating for his teammates, forcing opposing defenses into tough decisions, and capitalizing on every opening. As time goes on, he can become a true mastermind pulling the strings on the floor. That's what the greatest players in our sport do, and I'm confident that's an area where he will continue to evolve."

The San Antonio Spurs open their NBA season next week on Friday, October 9, when they host the Atlanta Hawks.