Victor Wembanyama, Spurs walk away from NBA Draft as huge winners

2026 NBA Draft made San Antonio Spurs, Victor Wembanyama even scarier going forward

The Spurs took Kentucky Wildcats forward Jayden Quaintance with the 20th pick in the NBA Draft on Tuesday before trading back into the first round to take UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. Both players weigh more than 250 pounds and like to do most of their damage in the restricted area, which should provide some valuable relief to Wembanyama.

He’s seemed reluctant to camp out in the paint thus far in his career and he can be outmuscled defensively in the post, so grabbing two players who can do the dirty work for him was a creative move by San Antonio. These picks give them the flexibility to play Wembanyama at the power forward spot more often, but even if he remains a center exclusively, he now has some viable backup options who specialize on the defensive end.

Now, the 7-foot-5 phenom will be able to play more on the perimeter if he wants, which should help keep his body fresh. Conditioning was another concern for the Frenchman in the playoffs, so adding quality big men to limit his minutes and the wear-and-tear on his body was imperative.

With the most unique player in league history, two dynamic, young guards and a handful of quality bench players, there weren’t many aspects for the Spurs to improve this offseason. But they saw a need, addressed it and became one of the biggest winners in a draft that has been compared to some of the greatest classes ever.