The Spurs are back in the NBA Finals, 12 years after their last title. Since then, times have changed a lot in San Antonio and the team has been able to rebuild itself. During the 2014 title, the Spurs were still carried by the aging - but still very effective - trio composed of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. And above all, they also had Kawhi Leonard, named Final MVP when he was barely 23 years old.
It was precisely the departure of Kawhi to the Raptors in 2018 that forced the team to rebuild. The Claw had taken over after the departure of the legendary trio, but relations with the San Antonio franchise were tough and he was traded to Toronto ( for DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl), where he would become an NBA Champion and Finals MVP in 2019. 2019 also marked the Texans' last playoff appearance before this season.
But then, how did the Spurs return to the NBA playoffs ?
#1 The Draft, obviously
It was in 2022 that the Spurs start their tanking strategy. Dejounte Murray, the Spurs' best player, was traded to the Hawks for Danilo Gallinari and several draft picks and swaps (the last of which resulted in Carter Bryant). But one of them attracted more attention than any other: Victor Wembanyama, the French generational talent.
And luck was on the Spurs' side, as they earned the right to pick first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, guaranteeing them the chance to select the next generational prospect then playing for the Mets, who was expected to quickly change the franchise's fortunes. A few weeks later, Wemby officially became a member of the San Antonio Spurs, and dreams of the future were once again (very) big !
Victor Wembanyama would obviously bring a new dynamic for the team even though the first season wasn't much more successful than the previous one. Wemby naturally finished the season as Rookie of the Year and already displayed frightening offensive and defensive potential. This 22 wins season allowed the franchise to still be well-positioned in the following draft and select Stephon Castle (4th pick).
Stephon Castle will excel on both ends of the court with a highly athletic play style, leading the Spurs to two consecutive Rookie of the Year awards. But San Antonio isn't finished yet, as the team is improving, racking up 34 wins in Wemby’s second season.
In the 2025 NBA Draft, the Spurs will have the second (and 14th) pick and will select Dylan Harper (and Carter Bryant) after narrowly missing out on Cooper Flagg. Ron's son is playing a very mature playstyle . And soon, he will play in his first NBA Finals, in his rookie season, against the Knicks at MSG, just a few subway stops from his native New Jersey.
These three young players join Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, who arrived in 2019 and 2020 respectively. While they didn't initially help the Spurs contend for top spots, they have since fully grasped their roles and are perfectly integrated into coach Mitch Johnson's system
All of these players are now central to the franchise, which has gone from 34 to 62 wins in just one year. But they are far from the only ones who have brought the Spurs back to the heights of the Western Conference.
#2 Ambitious Trades to Win Now
Seeing that the game has changed since the arrival of the Alien, much faster than if he hadn't been there, the Spurs quickly became ambitious. And in that sense, San Antonio will be poaching from the Kings, always a good target when it comes to strengthening other teams.
At the beginning of 2025, De'Aaron Fox informed management that he no longer saw his future in Sacramento and that he wanted to be traded, ideally to San Antonio. A few weeks later, Fox landed in San Antonio for… nothing, almost nothing.
With Fox's arrival, San Antonio is showing its ambitions, but more importantly, it's providing Wemby with a true lieutenant, someone who can contribute and integrate from his very first game in the black and white jersey. An experienced player capable of mentoring young players like Stephon Castle.
The left-handed point guard's importance is such that in the summer of 2025, management extended his contract for $229 million over four years. A contract that has sometimes been criticized, but Fox helped the Spurs return to the NBA Finals. Despite a sprained ankle against the Thunder, Fox always gave his all, using his leadership and basketball IQ to help his team reach this level.