Victor Wembanyama Delivers Blunt Message After Playing 48 Minutes

Victor Wembanyama played nearly 49 minutes in Monday night’s Game 1 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the San Antonio Spurs needed every bit of effort from their superstar center.

Wembanyama recorded 41 points and 24 rebounds through his career-high 48 minutes of action in the opening game of the Western Conference finals, leading the Spurs to a 122-115 victory in double overtime. Only reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Spurs guard Devin Vassell spent more time on the court, playing 51 minutes apiece.

Wembanyama and the Spurs have little time to recover before Game 2, which will tipoff at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday night. That said, the 22-year-old Frenchman isn’t concerned about the physical toll on his body.

“The first thing is physical ability - getting stronger as the years go on. And the mental toughness. You have to have it all the time,” Wembanyama said after the Spurs’ Game 1 win.

“Yes it takes a toll, but we will rest in July,” he concluded.

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Wembanyama was responsible for several key plays down the stretch, including a game-tying logo three-pointer, a poster dunk on Chet Holmgren and a game-sealing block on Jalen Williams. The unanimous Defensive Players of the Year finished with three rejections and affected countless shots at the rim.

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San Antonio’s starting five each played at least 44 minutes. Veteran guard De’Aaron Fox was unable to play due to an ankle injury.

"It was a war of wills," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said postgame. "The levels of mental toughness exuded by both teams. … We needed every second from everybody that played."

The Spurs now hold a 1-0 series lead over the reigning-champion Thunder heading into Game 2.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 12:00 PM.