For the game, they could be without their best player, as Victor Wembanyama has been added to the injury report. The 2024 Rookie of The Year is averaging 24.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 4.

The story, as Buford tells it, goes like this: Claudio Crippa, an international scout for the Spurs, proposed going to see a youth game before checking out Doumbouya. Buford saw Wembanyama play for the first time that day. And the seeds for the Spurs’ new master plan were immediately planted.