Wembanyama and Spurs shock Thunder to reach NBA Finals in 2026

Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs to the Finals by beating the Thunder, mirroring Shaquille O'Neal's 1995 path with Orlando.

Two historic Game 7 celebrations Thirty-one years apart, two unforgettable postgame huddles unfolded right after buzzer-beaters in conference finals. In both, a towering first-overall pick dominated a seven-game series and carried inexperienced teammates to the Finals within his third pro season. The first saw Shaquille O'Neal embrace Orlando Magic teammates, including Dennis Scott and Anthony Avent, after beating Indiana in 1995. The second featured Victor Wembanyama wrapping long arms around Stephon Castle, Carter Bryant and Keldon Johnson following San Antonio’s defeat of the reigning-champion Oklahoma City Thunder. ## Contrasting reactions after victory The Spurs’ celebration in Oklahoma City was met with stunned silence, unlike the jubilant scene inside the demolished O-rena in 1995 where Magic fans danced to Jock Jams as streamers rained down. Each team’s leader stood out as a generational force the league had never seen before. Both players lifted young squads to the league’s biggest stage, binding their careers across three decades despite the time gap. ## Coaches struggle to gameplan A longtime NBA head coach bluntly summed up the challenge Wembanyama presents: 'He's Shaq. He eats clean, worries about how his water is filtered and doesn't break backboards like Shaq did, but he presents the same problem. None of us know what the hell we're going to do to stop him.' The statement mirrored sentiments from 1995 when analysts and rivals wrestled with how to defend O’Neal’s raw dominance. ## Legacies of two generational centers Shaq’s 1995 season produced 29.3 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while shooting 58% over 79 games, earning second place in MVP voting. Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks on 51% shooting in 64 games, finishing third in MVP voting. The seven-footer has made 152 three-pointers and 84% of his free throws, dwarfing O’Neal’s zero makes from beyond the arc and 54% foul shooting. Over their first three seasons, O’Neal missed just four games while Wembanyama has been sidelined 65 times, with injuries limiting Shaq to 81 missed games in his following three years. ## Lifestyles and generational shifts Wembanyama avoids alcohol, drinks only plant-based sports beverages, and once knocked a sugary drink off a table, declaring, 'Oh, hell no.' Growing up outside Paris versus O’Neal’s military nomad childhood highlights cultural and generational divides beyond the court. Yet both center their routines on peak physical preparation and avoiding off-court pitfalls. O’Neal admitted in hindsight he and Orlando’s young team partied too hard before the 1995 Finals, calling it a lesson he never repeated. 'I feel like I'm immune to the distractions like partying, alcohol, drugs,' Wembanyama said in a 2024 interview with a major outlet. ## Comparisons and modern refinements One rival general manager called Wembanyama 'Shaq 2.0' because his body care, three-point shooting, and free-throw accuracy set him apart while retaining the same overwhelming presence. Another executive added, 'Because he takes care of his body and plays a modern game, shoots the 3 and can make free throws. Yeah, he's our nightmare.' Scouts note his 7-foot-4 frame and unprecedented skill set redefine the center position. ## Knicks stand in the way of history The New York Knicks return to the Finals for the first time since 1999 to face the same opponent, the Spurs, in a rematch of the 1999 Finals. Coach Gregg Popovich’s squad aims to avoid the fate of O’Neal’s 1995 Magic, who were swept by Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets in the Finals. The Knicks, built around undersized star Jalen Brunson, carry the weight of a 50-plus-year title drought and enter as dangerous underdogs after a 40-game unbeaten streak and 23-point average playoff margin. ## Draft-day foresight and youth movement The Magic struck gold twice in a row after drafting O’Neal in 1992, trading the 1993 No. 1 pick Chris Webber for Penny Hardaway and three future first-rounders. That 1995 Orlando team averaged 23 years old when reaching the Finals, with Hardaway and O’Neal at 23, Scott and Anderson at 27, and Horace Grant at 30. The Spurs replicated the blueprint by drafting Wembanyama first in 2023 and landing Carter Bryant at No. 2 in 2025. A Western Conference scout admitted, 'I'll be the first to complain about how lucky they got in the lottery. But the truth is they have crushed the draft.' ## Playoff paths and dynasty whispers Orlando’s 1995 playoff run included a second-round upset of a freshly unretired Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, though Jordan never lost another series that postseason. The Spurs’ 2026 team became the second-youngest Finals squad ever, trailing only Portland’s 1977 group. Both clubs rode the excitement of their transcendent big men into the league’s biggest stage with hopes of launching new eras. ## Contract talks and long-term stakes Thirty years after O’Neal left Orlando amid contract disputes and allure of Los Angeles, this summer the Spurs are poised to offer Wembanyama a five-year, $300-plus million extension he’s highly motivated to sign. O’Neal’s career spanned dominance, missed opportunities, and injuries that limited his prime windows in Miami and Cleveland, where he won 60 games with LeBron James. 'Even though I got four championships, I felt I should have six or seven,' O’Neal told a magazine after retiring. 'In my mind, I should have seven rings. In my mind, I should be No. 2 in scoring; in my mind, I'm the most dominant big man to ever play the game.' ## Uncharted territory ahead for Wembanyama Wembanyama and the Spurs embrace their lack of experience as a strength, believing it allows them to attempt impossible feats. 'The lack of experience is a strength for us,' he told a reporter. 'Because we could do impossible stuff .. because we don't know it's impossible.' Unlike O’Neal’s era filled with 'what ifs,' Wembanyama’s time has yet to be burdened by hypotheticals, positioning him to potentially redefine a new dynasty from day one. ## Finals schedule and broadcast details Game 1 tips at 8:30 p.m. ET on June 3 in San Antonio. The series alternates with Game 2 on June 5 in San Antonio, Game 3 on June 8 in New York, Game 4 on June 10 in New York, Game 5 on June 13 in San Antonio if needed, Game 6 on June 16 in New York if needed, and Game 7 on June 19 in San Antonio if necessary. All contests stream alongside the broadcast schedule for fans worldwide.