Hector Ledesma Articles - Page 12

Focus on defense has long been a San Antonio Spurs mantra. From Tim Duncan and David Robinson to Kawhi Leonard, the attention to that side of the ball set a foundation for five championships in 15 years. It’s also translated to vast recognition when you include the likes of Bruce Bowen and Alvin Robertson. Victor […]

In the midst of an NBA All-Rookie First Team season, San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama put up one astonishing stat line after another. So, as impressive as this is, perhaps it shouldn’t surprise: the generational talent became the fifth player in NBA history to have six games with 25 or more points, at least […]

The NBA announced its All-Rookie Teams and the first team won’t surprise many, if it all. Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama headlines a group that includes Chet Holmgren, Brandon Miller, Jamie Jaquez Jr., and Brandin Podziemski. The first team selections reflects Rookie of the Year voting. The San Antonio Spurs generational talent finished first […]

When the NBA’s All-Rookie Teams are announced on Monday, there’s no question that San Antonio Spurs Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama will stand front and center, just as fellow ROY winners Tim Duncan and David Robinson decades before him. But maybe even ardent Spurs fans might not be quick to point out that Gary […]

The defending basketball runner-up in the Olympics is back with a huge – literally – reinforcement. San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama is set to make his Summer Games debut for a Team France squad that’s already anchored by now four-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. French National Basketball Coach Vincent Collet announced […]

The San Antonio Spurs’ fourth and eighth picks of the upcoming NBA Draft will represent the ninth and tenth selections the franchise has had inside the top 10. With Victor Wembanyama, they’ve now famously hit on every one of their three No. 1 picks when you include Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Beyond that trio, […]

The “Alien” effect is in full force for the San Antonio Spurs. Even without Victor Wembanyama. Featuring Alienware and a chance to go head to head against an important member of the team, the franchise announced “Game at The Rock,” a free day of gaming and basketball at The Rock at La Cantera on Sunday, […]

A ClutchPoints post on X regarding an aspect of Victor Wembanyama’s press conference where the San Antonio Spurs star received the Rookie of the Year trophy has caused quite a stir on the social media platform. As of the writing of this piece, the post dated May 12 has 1.7 million views. The post of […]

Because the San Antonio Spurs have tons of roads they can take – even more thanks to two first round picks won in Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery – to build their roster around generational talent Victor Wembanyama, it’s appropriate to look at the different options. Wemby used his spectacular rookie year to establish that he’s […]

While the San Antonio Spurs didn’t win the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday, they did come away winners. They ended up with two picks, which will help Victor Wembanyama immensely next season. There was nowhere near a guarantee that they’d receive the Toronto Raptors selection, which would only transfer if it came outside the top […]

Maybe Victor Wembanyama really is an alien. How else do you explain a 20-year-old athletic specimen who can cite astrophysics while speaking a second language? Before receiving his Rookie of the Year trophy, Wemby spent time with local children at a San Antonio Education Center & Planetarium. When the press conference came, the gifted basketball […]

The San Antonio Spurs now have three images of one of their fabled 7-footers holding a Rookie of the Year trophy. With Saturday’s presentation, Victor Wembanyama joins David Robinson and Tim Duncan as Silver and Black icons who’ve won the honor. “It’s always something that pushes me even more,” Wemby said. “You have to carry […]

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama can block shots like Rudy Gobert but shoot like Kevin Durant. He’s going to change the game for sure. Too much? Too soon? Tell that to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic. We’re closing in on a year since ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski called the now-Spurs superstar “maybe the greatest prospect […]

Almost as impressive as Victor Wembanyama’s Rookie of the Year campaign was all the praise the San Antonio Spurs superstar received from the NBA’s biggest stars. In covering Spurs games throughout the season, ClutchPoints received reaction from the game’s elite as they’d go against the top pick in last summer’s draft. “He’s going to change […]

As with everything else seemingly surrounding San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama…it appears to be only a matter of time. At a point this past season, when asked about Rudy Gobert’s chances of beating him for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, the newly crowned Rookie of the Year answered with a response that […]

In taking NBA Rookie of the Year honors, San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama joined NBA on TNT where he took questions from players-turned-commentators Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith along with host Ernie Johnson Jr. “My goals are always to help my team as best as I could and get better as the […]

San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama sent a message by winning the 2023-24 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year. In becoming the first French player to capture the award and third Spur to earn the honor alongside Tim Duncan and David Robinson, the generational talent lived up to the description again by winning unanimously. In […]

A race that essentially ended on February 29 is now officially over. The NBA named San Antonio Spurs generational talent Victor Wembanyama the 2023-2024 NBA Rookie of the Year on Monday. Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren finishes second for a postseason award that was among the easiest to predict across the league. Wembanyama […]

Everyone seems to have an opinion on Victor Wembanyama’s “timeline to win” for the San Antonio Spurs this offseason. While it’s natural chatter given the generational talent’s rapid rookie ascension and the Silver and Black’s 22-60 record, it is all speculation. With that, this piece contains what the NBA phenom has actually said recently on […]

While most of the sports world was incredibly impressed with Victor Wembanyama’s output, the San Antonio Spurs were more excited with what they saw behind the scenes on a daily basis during his spectacular rookie season. First among that group is the Silver and Black’s Hall of Fame head coach, Gregg Popovich. “The fact that […]

For as splendid as his entire rookie season was, three of Victor Wembanyama’s most noteworthy games came against three of the very best players in the game. Given what we’re learning about the San Antonio Spurs’ generational talent, it shouldn’t surprise. That he thirsts to play against the elite is impressive enough. That he already […]

Almost as legendary as his resume has been Gregg Popovich’s relationship with his best players. A father figure type for San Antonio Spurs icons Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, the 75-year-old coach is old enough to be his current best player’s grandfather. Actually, given their 55-year difference, you may be able to add […]

It appears to be a mere formality. In fact, the better question appears to be, will Victor Wembanyama be the unanimous Rookie of the Year? Also a finalist for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, though nowhere near the favorite, the generational talent is expected to run away with the ROY award. We all […]

Call it the Victor Wembanyama effect. The NBA and the San Antonio Spurs officially announced that the team will play two regular season games in Paris, France next season. The Spurs will face the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, January 23 and Saturday, January 25, 2025. It’ll mark the first time the NBA will play two […]

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has won five NBA championships. He’s the winningest coach in NBA history and led the Silver and Black to a league record 22 consecutive winning seasons. Yet, the Hall of Famer says this 22-60 season was among his “most satisfying.” “It would be less than genuine if I said […]

There were times during the season some wondered whether the San Antonio Spurs’ incumbent platers realized they had generational talent Victor Wembanyama on their team. But instances where the 7-foot-4 phenom wouldn’t touch the ball gave way to Wembanyama’s brilliance as his rookie campaign went on. Fans and analysts weren’t the only ones who noticed. […]

It has been 30 years since San Antonio Spurs Hall of Famer David Robinson scored 71 points in the 1993-1994 season finale. Three decades later, the Spurs again feature a 7-footer who put up some astronomical numbers of his own. Though Victor Wembanyama is naturally linked to Robinson and fellow San Antonio icon Tim Duncan, […]

It’s safe to say no returning San Antonio Spur entered last off-season with more intrigue than Jeremy Sochan. He earned a nod in the NBA’s Rising Stars Game and from the get go his defense made his Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich take note. His versatility through a raw, yet evident, skill set intrigued. […]

Athletes often say the greatest respect they earn comes from their peers. That then says a lot about San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama. In yet another tell that the generational talent continues to live up to that description, the 7-foot-4 rookie topped two categories as decided by fellow NBA players: “Who’s the best defender?” […]

None of the postseason notoriety that Victor Wembanyama gets nowadays comes as a surprise. Not after a season that ranks among the best rookie years in NBA history. Given the hype and expectations that followed the San Antonio Spurs’ French big man into the league, perhaps his place as a finalist on awards lists shouldn’t […]

As San Antonio Spurs fans – and thanks to generational talent Victor Wembanyama, NBA observers at large – head into the off-season with tons of curiosity about what the Silver and Black will do, there are at least two things the franchise knows going forward. Victor Wembanyama is already their best player and is undoubtedly […]

Following an outstanding first season in the NBA, here comes the recognition. The league announced Sunday that San Antonio Spurs generational talent Victor Wembanyama is one of three finalists for both Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Thing is, it’s not surprising news. Virtually a lock to win ROY, the […]

He’s only 24 years old and can count his years in the Alamo City on one hand. Yet, Keldon Johnson is the longest-tenured San Antonio Spur and the oldest member of what would be considered their core. He headed into this past season as the Spurs’ leading scorer. He heads into the offseason as a […]

While San Antonio Spurs super rookie Victor Wembanyama is a contender for NBA Defensive Player of the Year, there’s no doubt about who ranks as the team’s best perimeter defender. Jeremy Sochan always guarded the opponent’s best offensive threat from the wing. He often guarded more stout players down on the block. Routinely, he did […]

After missing just 21 combined games through his first two NBA seasons, San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell missed 14, including the last eight, this past season. The fourth-year guard played in only 38 of the possible 82 games in 2022-2023. A foot injury that the team labeled a “stress reaction to the right third […]

Victor Wembanyama was a must-watch phenomenon during his rookie campaign with the San Antonio Spurs. To finish out the year, the Spurs superstar spoke about a number of topics, from his defensive prowess, to what he learned most through an NBA rookie season that saw his team lose 60 of 82 games and other subjects […]

San Antonio Spurs big man Zach Collins is scheduled to have surgery on what the team calls a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The Spurs are expecting Collins to be fully recovered at the start of the 2024-25 season, per the team’s press release. The sixth-year pro, who’s been in the NBA for seven […]

When Cedi Osman joined the San Antonio Spurs via trade early last July, there was doubt as to whether he’d ever put on the Silver and Black. After all, the franchise acquired him at around the same time they dealt for fellow veterans Reggie Bullock and Cameron Payne. But while neither made it to opening […]

In meeting with the media for the last time in the 2023-2024 season, San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama reflected on a rookie season that exceeded everyone’s super high expectations, except his. Given all that he accomplished during his first taste of American basketball, ClutchPoints asked the generational talent what he took the most pride […]