Nike warns NBA fans about Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama after win over Thunder

Victor Wembanyama’s return could not have come at a more consequential moment for the San Antonio Spurs. After missing 12 games with a strained left calf, San Antonio franchise superstar made his comeback in the Emirates NBA Cup semifinal and helped his side in a 111-109 upset of the Oklahoma City Thunder in Las Vegas. The victory ended Oklahoma City’s 16-game winning streak and handed the defending NBA champions just their second loss in 26 games this season.

Wembanyama came off the bench for the first time in his NBA career, entering at the start of the second quarter and playing on a strict minutes restriction. The 21-year-old finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks while shooting 6-of-11 from the field, 1-of-1 from three-point range, and 9-of-12 from the free-throw line in 21 minutes. San Antonio outscored Oklahoma City by 21 points with Wembanyama on the floor, the best plus-minus of any player in the game.

Nike wasted no time amplifying the return of Wembanyama, the young phenom who has signed a lucrative multi-year deal with the brand while playing professionally for France. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) following the win, Nike issued a warning to NBA fans:

“Wemby or not, here he comes.”

The Spurs were behind by as many as 16 points early and were down 31-20 after the first quarter. As soon as Wembanyama checked in, San Antonio went on a 9-2 run to begin the second quarter. After falling behind 47-31 late in the half, the Spurs closed with 11 straight points to trail just 49-46 at halftime. They took their first lead at 57-56 midway through the third quarter during a 10-0 run.

Wembanyama scored the bulk of his points and sank a pivotal free throw with 6.1 seconds remaining to give San Antonio a three-point lead. The Thunder closed within one twice in the final seconds, but missed opportunities at the line cost them the game.

The Spurs got a well-rounded scoring effort alongside Wembanyama’s return. Devin Vassell poured in 23 points, and De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle weren’t far behind with 22 each. It was the first game this season in which Wembanyama shared the floor with Fox, Castle, and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper. Moreover, it was the first time since March of last season that San Antonio had four players score at least 20 points in a game. Overall, the Spurs shot 41.1 percent from the field and went 13-of-42 from three-point range.

For Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 29 points, but the Thunder shot just 41.3 percent overall and 9-of-37 from beyond the arc. The loss dropped them from 24-1 to 24-2 and eliminated them from the NBA Cup.

San Antonio will now take on the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup final on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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