Victor Wembanyama Is Now Responsible For The Best Start To A Season In Spurs Franchise History

Ronald Cortes. Getty Images.

The San Antonio Spurs are one of the most successful organizations in not just basketball, but all of sports. They've won 5 NBA championships, which is the 5th most all time. With an overall winning percentage of .593, only the Boston Celtics (.595) is higher. They're a franchise that's filled with basketball icons, from George Gervin to David Robinson to Tim Duncan.

And none of them, no player, no great Spurs teams of old, have ever accomplished what Wemby has now done as a Spur. It's fitting really, given that every time he steps foot on a basketball court, Wemby tends to make some sort of history, and I'm not sure we should be so quick to gloss over just how insane this accomplishment actually is.

Given how much the Spurs have won, it's hard to fathom they've never started a season 5-0. I'm talking about a franchise that went nearly 20 years straight of nothing but 50+ win seasons. From 1993-94 to 2016-17, the Spurs only had 2 seasons in which they did not win at least 50 games.

1. The 1999 lockout year where they went 37-13, which is a 60 win pace

2. The1996-97 season, which was the year David Robinson got hurt, the Spurs won 20 games, and then immediately drafted Tim Duncan

Outside of that? Nothing but 50 and 60 win seasons for over 20 years

None of those teams ever started a season 5-0? I find that pretty remarkable. It's also not surprising that a player like Wemby was the one to finally be the one to do it

I have to admit, I didn't exactly expect for this entire season to just be the Wemby beat, but what choice do I have? He keeps doing shit we've never seen before and in this case, something that no Spurs fan has ever seen before in their 59 years of existence. 

Prospects of this level are always hyped and overhyped heading into the NBA, and very few immediately live up to it like Wemby has done. Really, the only comp that feels right is to say LeBron. He came in and IMMEDIATELY was special despite having all the pressure in the world on his shoulders. I feel like it's the same thing for Wemby. Named the best prospect since LeBron, a player who people said if he ended up having HAKEEM OLAJUWON'S career it would be a failure, a player who many think can truly contend for GOAT status one day as long as he stays healthy, it's impossible to deny he's lived up to EVERY bit of hype he had surrounding his draft and then some.

We live in a world where it's very possible we see Wemby win MVP, DPOY, and MIP all in the same season. You know, that's totally normal. He's already about to match Hakeem in leading the league in BLKS after this season, and it's been 3 years. I cannot stress enough how not normal this all is. I get that it sounds hyperbolic, but we're seeing something that's never existed.

And the best part? The Spurs are winning. This was the next box Wemby had to check now that he was entering Year 3. The highlights are awesome, the production is insane, but if you are truly going to be one of the greats, then the wins had to start showing up. So for him to start this season 5-0 and make Spurs history while doing it? I don't even care that they've come against DAL/NO/BKN/TOR/MIA. 5 in a row is 5 in a row, and let's not pretend like the Spurs entered the season expected to be some sort of wagon. I think most thought they'd finally compete for the Play In, and now here they sit tied with OKC as the only undefeated teams in the West. If you don't find that impressive, I dunno what to tell ya.

Not to pile on, but I do think it's important to mention that the Spurs also own the rights to the Hawks' pick this summer if they want it (pick swap). That means, should things go south and they end up with another Lottery/high Lottery pick, that player is coming to SA as well and this group gets to add yet another high lottery talent to play around Wemby. Just sit on that one for a minute, because that's a scenario that could be very real in about 8 months. Good luck!