San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama hit a 17-foot jumper with one second left to secure a 101-100 win over the Phoenix Suns at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on March 19, 2026, clinching a Western Conference playoff spot for the Spurs, their first since the 2018-19 NBA season.[1][2][3]
According to a Fox News Digital report, the Spurs trailed 100-95 with 1:13 remaining after a three-pointer by Suns forward Jordan Goodwin. Wembanyama grabbed an offensive rebound, drew a foul from Suns guard Devin Booker, and made both free throws to narrow the gap to 100-97.[1]
Booker missed on the next possession, and Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox scored a layup to make it 100-99. Suns forward Rasheer Fleming missed both free throws after a foul by Wembanyama, prompting a Spurs timeout. Wembanyama then sank the game-winner.[1]
Wembanyama finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds, the report said. Postgame, the 22-year-old center noted playing with wine-stained shorts after a spill and emphasized avoiding complacency despite the achievement: "Of course, the first instinct is to be proud of it... But the key for me is to try to not care because we want to attack 82 games."[1]
The Spurs were reported at 52-18, three games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (55-15) for the Western Conference's top seed.[1] Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 center from France and the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, plays for the five-time champion Spurs at Frost Bank Center.[2][4]
The Spurs have not reached the playoffs since losing to the Denver Nuggets in the 2019 first round.[3]
Sources
- Fox News Digital, "Victor Wembanyama sent the San Antonio Spurs back to the playoffs in dramatic fashion", March 20, 2026, https://www.foxnews.com/sports
- NBA.com, "Frost Bank Center", accessed October 2024, https://www.nba.com/spurs/frost-bank-center
- NBA.com, "San Antonio Spurs", accessed October 2024, https://www.nba.com/team/1610612758/spurs
- NBA.com, "Victor Wembanyama", accessed October 2024, https://www.nba.com/player/1641703/victor-wembanyama
