The NBA is officially back, and though the Nuggets haven’t played yet, the team and the rest of the league have already been put on notice by Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. In his 2025-26 debut, Wemby put up 40 points on 15-21 shooting to go along with 15 rebounds and 3 blocks in just 30 minutes as the Spurs went into Dallas and pounded the Mavericks, 125-92.
There’s a common belief that Nikola Jokic will eventually pass the torch as the greatest center in the league to Wembanyama, but based on this game, that passing may come a lot sooner than expected. Beyond the stat line, the way he dominated the game with such ease was alarming.
He looked like a man amongst boys out there, dunking over and over again in the halfcourt, pulling up for jumpers like a pop-a-shot game, and terrorizing any Maverick who dared dribble into the lane. It was an all-encompassing ass-kicking by a guy who is starting just his third season in the league.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) October 23, 2025
It was a clear statement that Wemby is done waiting around for his team to get good; he’s ready to win now. If he’s not the best player in the world, he’s damn close, and he may have that title to himself before much longer.
Jokic era may be dwindling
One game isn’t nearly enough to make sweeping overreactions, especially as we haven’t even seen Jokic and the Nuggets play a game yet, but it’s clear: Wembanyama and the Spurs are coming. He’s coming for Jokic. He’s coming for the NBA. He’s coming for history.
Wemby is a special player, and it seems like at this point, it’s just a matter of when, not if. Because there’s no doubt about it, if he can just stay healthy, he’s going to be one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen, and there’s no limit to what he can do on a basketball court.
With the team that Denver put around Jokic this offseason, it’s clear they’re trying to maximize the title window, but that window may be closing rapidly. Not only are the Nuggets facing a financial crisis next summer, as they’ve already indicating an unwillingness to pay the luxury tax.
But on top of that, they’re competing with the young, still improving, champion Thunder, and now the up-and-coming Wemby-led Spurs. The Western Conference was already a gauntlet, but now the top teams and brightest stars are getting even better. For now, Jokic is still king, but his reign at the top is facing a challenge like never before.