By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The San Antonio Spurs dropped their NBA Preseason 2026 opener 123–116 to the Atlanta Hawks at the Frost Bank Center on Thursday.
They blew a 23-point cushion despite a strong start from Victor Wembanyama. The French phenom logged nine points, six rebounds, a block, and an assist in 17 minutes. He also knocked down a three-pointer.
Wemby was glad to be back on the court. “It was good to get a little time off but at this point of the offseason it’s been long enough. It’s taken a few weeks or even a few months, but I should say, I am excited again for the season to start. And once I got here to the arena, I was really excited about playing this game today,” he shared during a postgame press conference.
The defeat gives the Spurs film to study as they build chemistry with new teammates. The 22-year-old center noted that the group is focused on long-term growth. “First thing is shape conditioning in game-like conditions or regular-season-like conditions,” he said. “Try some new stuff. Form good habits. Learn to play with each other for the ones who are new and increase that connection for the ones we’ve been playing together.”
The friendly matchup also showcased his evolving role at the top of the key. “I worked around a lot, and I also worked on seeing more things happen, slowing the game down,” Wembanyama stated. “For me, the challenge is always putting everything together. Because I’ve learned so many things and I always like to step into the game trying to apply some things, but I think the main thing is if I assess early and continuously, that’s when I can start putting everything together.”
San Antonio will look to rebound quickly. The next exhibition fixture is against the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Saturday.
The only European option for Atlanta, Estonian Henri Veesaar, is sidelined.
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