San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama has been hailed as a generational talent by many in the basketball world, and the latest to sing his praises is three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Last result: San Antonio Spurs 90-94 New York Knicks (2026-06-14). Recent form (last 5): 1W-0D-4L (LLLLW, most recent first); lost the last 4.
What happened?
Nikola Jokic recently praised Victor Wembanyama, saying that the young French center has the potential to be the best in the league. Jokic made these comments after Serbia's 90-87 friendly win over Wembanyama's France.
Why it matters for San Antonio Spurs
Wembanyama's potential is huge, and the San Antonio Spurs are lucky to have him on their roster. The young center has already shown flashes of brilliance in his games against top teams, and Jokic's praise is just the latest endorsement of his abilities.
What comes next?
Wembanyama and Jokic are expected to face each other again on the international stage, as well as in the NBA. The two centers have a history of producing high-scoring games against each other, and fans are eagerly anticipating their next matchup.
In their recent friendly match, Jokic outperformed Wembanyama, scoring 20 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists in 29 minutes. Wembanyama, on the other hand, put up 10 points and 6 turnovers. Despite the loss, Wembanyama was named France's team captain starting last month, succeeding Rudy Gobert.
Through their seven head-to-head regular-season meetings in the NBA, Jokic holds a 5-2 record over Wembanyama. Jokic averaged 37.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game in games against Wembanyama. His best performance came in December 2025 during an overtime thriller where he exploded for 46 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. Most recently, in April 2026, he dropped 40 points and 13 assists to edge out the Spurs in another overtime classic.
On the other hand, Wembanyama averaged 26.4 points, 15.1 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game in their encounters. The young French center secured his most famous victory against Denver during his rookie season in April 2024, recording 34 points and 12 rebounds in a one-point win. Just days after that, he nearly recorded a quadruple-double against Jokic with 23 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, and 9 blocks.
Wembanyama has an up-and-coming supporting cast to accompany him on his rise, such as De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Harrison Barnes, Tobias Harris, Carter Bryant, among others. The young center and his team are expected to face Jokic and Serbia again on the international stage, as well as in the NBA.
The San Antonio Spurs are looking to build on their recent success, and Wembanyama's growth is a key part of their plans. With his unique combination of size, skill, and athleticism, Wembanyama is poised to become one of the top players in the league. And with Jokic's praise, he's got the endorsement of one of the greatest players of all time to back him up.
The San Antonio Spurs' next game is against the Los Angeles Lakers on August 25th, and fans are eagerly anticipating Wembanyama's performance. Will he be able to live up to Jokic's high praise and lead the Spurs to victory? Only time will tell.
