Wembanyama extends Spurs stay with five-year $252 million deal

Victor Wembanyama has reaffirmed his commitment to the San Antonio Spurs by signing a five-year rookie contract extension worth $252 million, one of the richest deals ever awarded to a young player in NBA history.

The extension, reported by ESPN to be the third-largest rookie extension in league history, comes just hours after the French superstar assured Spurs fans that his future remains firmly in San Antonio.

“Spurs family, I’m here to stay. Whatever it takes”, Wembanyama wrote on social media before the franchise officially announced the signing, although financial terms were not disclosed by the club.

The agreement is the NBA’s maximum rookie-scale extension, averaging $50.4 million per season, and includes a player option for the fifth and final year.

Widely regarded as one of basketball’s most extraordinary talents, Wembanyama has rapidly established himself among the NBA’s elite since the Spurs selected him with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Standing 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 metres) with an astonishing 8-foot (2.44-metre) wingspan, he is currently the tallest player in the NBA and one of the most unique athletes the league has ever seen.

Born on January 4, 2004, in Le Chesnay, France, Wembanyama is French. He comes from a sporting family with multicultural roots.

His father, Félix Wembanyama, is of Congolese descent and was a track-and-field athlete, while his mother, Élodie de Fautereau, is French and worked as a basketball coach.

His early development was heavily influenced by his mother’s coaching, helping shape him into one of Europe’s brightest basketball prospects.

Before moving to the NBA, Wembanyama enjoyed a successful career in France.

He began with Nanterre 92, where he made his professional debut, before joining ASVEL Basket, one of France’s biggest clubs owned by NBA legend Tony Parker.

Later starred for Metropolitans 92, dominating the French league and attracting worldwide attention before entering the NBA Draft.

Since arriving in San Antonio, Wembanyama has transformed the Spurs into title contenders.

Across his first three NBA seasons, he has averaged 23.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.5 blocks per game, while leading the NBA in blocked shots every season of his career.

The 2025-26 campaign proved to be his finest yet.

He averaged career highs of 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, earned his first All-NBA First Team selection, captured the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, and finished third in the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting.

A versatile modern center, Wembanyama has also become a reliable perimeter threat, shooting 34.2 percent from three-point range while averaging more than two made three-pointers per game.

Last month, he guided San Antonio to the NBA Finals for the first time in his career before the Spurs fell to the New York Knicks in five games.

Despite the disappointment, the run reinforced San Antonio’s return as one of the league's rising powers.

Internationally, Wembanyama is a cornerstone of the French national basketball team.

He helped France win the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where they finished runners-up to the United States, and has also represented his country at youth level, winning gold at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup and earning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Wemby also claimed silver medals at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2022 EuroBasket, cementing his reputation as one of France’s most influential players.

Surrounded by an exciting young core that includes De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Dylan Harper and veteran forward Tobias Harris, Wembanyama is expected to remain the centerpiece of San Antonio’s championship ambitions for years to come as the Spurs look to add another NBA title to their illustrious history.