2026 Finals: Passing of the Torch?

Wembanyama is ready to inherit the NBA. The Finals are just the beginning.

Photo: Daiei Onoguchi / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0

The running joke around NBA content is that everything somehow leads to the question of, “How will this affect LeBron’s legacy?” On the surface, the upcoming NBA finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks has nothing to do with LeBron James, but under a microscope you just might be able to see a “passing of the torch” so to speak.

With the Spurs and Knicks set to begin the NBA Finals on Wednesday, NBA fans are getting a breath of fresh air by getting to see two teams in unfamiliar territory, fighting to bring home a championship to their city. A competitive series should be in store as both squads have many weapons that know how to play as a unit but it’s safe to say all eyes will remain on third year youngster Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama has put the Spurs on his back throughout this postseason run when they needed him the most and at times he looked like the most dominating player in the entire league. Wemby scored at least 20 points in every game of the Western Conference Finals against the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, including Game 1 where he put on a super-human performance (41 pts, 24 rebounds) in a double overtime victory. It is not like these types of outings are uncommon for Wembanyama either. Over his first three seasons, he has averaged 23.4 ppg to go along with 11 rebounds. It is unheard of for someone to put up these types of numbers in the NBA from the beginning of their career.

When Wembanyama came into the league in 2023-2024, the Spurs were one of the worst teams in the NBA. Fast forward to the present and now he has led San Antonio to a Finals appearance. It has been over two decades since we have witnessed this young of a player make this big of an impact on his franchise rather immediately. The most recent comparable situation goes all the way back to 2003 when LeBron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

No doubt, LeBron’s longevity is something to admire but it is inevitable that retirement is on the horizon for “The King.” Now let’s be clear. It is unfair for everyone involved to expect Wembanyama to play 20+ years at his current pace. However, if he can lead the Spurs to a title this season, forget becoming the face of the franchise, Wemby will be on his way to become the face of the league.

Photo: Pierre.berendes / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0