Victor Wembanyama Is the Only One Who Can Stop Thunder Title Repeat

It’s nice to dream.

In “Space Jam 3,” LeBron James, on a heavily injured Los Angeles Lakers team, would recruit Bugs Bunny and other Loony Toon characters to take down the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

But this is real life, not fantasy, and the Thunder have a golden road to a second NBA championship and the beginning of a possible dynasty.

Luka Doncic isn’t expected back for the Western semifinals against the Thunder. Anthony Edwards is injured for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Eastern Conference is a complete and utter mess, with every team looking beatable.

And there’s the Thunder, who crushed the Phoenix Suns like they were a junior varsity high school team and are rolling into the second round, having showcased maybe 40% of their overall power.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are winning the 2025-26 NBA championship.

Unless Victor Wembanyama stops them.

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The San Antonio Spurs and their alien-like ace weren’t supposed to be in this situation just yet — maybe a year or two away from actual contention — but as things stand currently, they’re the only legitimate obstacle between the Thunder and a second-straight championship.

During the regular season, Wembanyama was a constant thorn in the Thunder’s side, beating them several times. Chet Holmgren, who bullies opponents and swallows them up defensively, meets his match (and then some) when taking on the French titan.

The Spurs might need to get beaten by the Thunder or another team in the playoffs to gain that valuable experience to challenge the possible dynasty, but San Antonio might be the last resistance against Oklahoma City.

Over in the Eastern Conference, they’re a combined 1-7 against the Thunder this campaign.

Wembanyama and the Spurs are 4-1 against the reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren, and the rest of the Thunder during the same span.

Although both the Spurs and Thunder have to win in the conference semifinals before facing off in the Western finals, the young guns from San Antonio might already be the league’s final hope of keeping parity alive and stopping the forming empire in Oklahoma.

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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 8:15 PM.