Victor Wembanyama has acknowledged that events in France remain on his mind, but the San Antonio Spurs star insists they do not explain his early-season struggles. The 22-year-old made the admission after San Antonio suffered its second consecutive defeat, losing 114-110 to the Houston Rockets on Friday, October 23.
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French journalist Maxime Aubin asked Wembanyama whether he still had part of his mind in France amid the latest developments there. In Aubin’s post on X sharing Wembanyama’s response, the Spurs center acknowledged that a lot was happening in his life while taking responsibility for his performances.
“I still manage to focus anyway, but yes, my head is… (he stops and thinks) It’s true that a lot is happening in our lives,” his response read in the X post. “But that doesn’t explain my poor performances at all.”
Wembanyama’s comments followed a difficult season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder, when he scored 12 points on 1-of-13 shooting in a 116-104 loss. He responded against Houston with 25 points and 13 rebounds, shooting nine of 21 from the field. However, his potential game-tying attempt in the final seconds was blocked by Amen Thompson, sealing another defeat for San Antonio.
The loss left the Spurs at 0-2 to begin the 2026-27 season. Although Wembanyama improved considerably from his opening-night shooting performance, San Antonio still needs to turn those individual improvements into victories.
While Wembanyama works through the Spurs’ early-season difficulties, Kevin Durant shared his thoughts on what the young center can improve offensively. Before the Houston-San Antonio matchup, the Rockets forward was asked what the next step might be for Wembanyama.
“I just think everybody’s next step as a player is to become more efficient, make more shots, less movements, just make the game easier for you,” Durant said. “I think that’s everybody’s next step, not just his. I think that’s the goal that we’re all trying to reach as players is just to make the game easier for ourselves.”
Durant’s comments, shared by reporter Tom Orsborn on X, focused on efficiency and simplifying offensive decisions. Rather than presenting the advice as a criticism directed solely at Wembanyama, Durant described it as a goal shared by players across the league.
Wembanyama’s performance against Houston showed progress after his difficult opening night. He converted nine of his 21 field-goal attempts and collected 13 rebounds, helping San Antonio remain competitive. However, Thompson’s block in the closing seconds prevented Wembanyama from tying the game, and Houston held on for the win.
The two developments offer different perspectives on Wembanyama’s start to the season. His comments about France provide insight into what is occupying his thoughts away from basketball, while Durant’s advice focuses on how he can become more effective on the court.
For San Antonio, the immediate priority is finding consistency after two losses. Wembanyama has produced 25 points and 13 rebounds in his latest outing, but the Spurs need stronger execution across the team to convert those performances into wins. As the season continues, improving efficiency will remain an important area for the young star and his team.