Wembanyama hits game-winning jumper as Spurs clinch playoffs
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama hit a 17-foot jumper with one second remaining to secure a 101-100 victory over the Phoenix Suns on March 19, 2026, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. The win clinched the Spurs' first playoff appearance since the 2018-19 NBA season.[1][2]
Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft by the Spurs, sparked a late rally after the Spurs trailed 100-95 with 1:13 left. Suns forward Jordan Goodwin had just made a three-pointer. Wembanyama grabbed an offensive rebound, was fouled by Suns guard Devin Booker and made both free throws to cut the deficit to 100-97.[3]
Booker missed on the next possession, and Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox scored a layup to make it 100-99. Suns forward Rasheer Fleming missed both free throws after being fouled by Wembanyama. The Spurs called timeout following the rebound and set up the final play.
Wembanyama then drained the jumper over the Suns defense. He finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds. Teammates Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell joined in the celebration.[3]
Postgame, Wembanyama described distractions including wine spilled on his shorts before the final sequence. "It was hard to take in all the stimulus around me," he said. "I had the fans looking at me. I had this guy spill wine on me."
"Of course, the first instinct is to be proud of it and to love it because we’re part of it," Wembanyama added regarding the playoffs. "But the key for me is to try to not care because we want to attack 82 games. I’m scared to become complacent."
Sources
- NBA.com. "San Antonio Spurs Playoff History." Accessed October 2024. https://www.nba.com/spurs/history
- Wikipedia. "Frost Bank Center." Accessed October 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frost_Bank_Center
- NBA.com. "Victor Wembanyama Player Profile." Accessed October 2024. https://www.nba.com/player/1641701/victor-wembanyama
