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The San Antonio Spurs, led by their French star Victor Wembanyama, have kicked off the 2025/26 season with an impressive start, advancing their record to 4–0 following a 121–103 victory against the Toronto Raptors.
The 21-year-old showcased yet another stellar performance, scoring 24 points and grabbing 15 rebounds, while continuing his impressive defensive run with a block — his 19th of the season.
Wembanyama currently leads the league in blocked shots, boasting a total that exceeds that of several teams. Notably, his block against the Raptors marked the 89th consecutive game in which he has recorded at least one rejection.
This achievement propelled him to fourth place on the all-time list, overtaking Patrick Ewing’s previous record of 88 consecutive games. He now trails only Mark Eaton (94), Dikembe Mutombo (116), and Ewing’s ultimate mark of 145 consecutive games with a block.
Following the triumph over Toronto, Wembanyama was inquired if he consciously seeks out blocks during gameplay.
“I wouldn’t say that’s the case, because there are moments when I’m going after blocks even when I already have six,” he replied with a grin. “It’s part of my role.”
Once again, opponents appeared hesitant to attack the basket in Wembanyama’s presence, occasionally opting to throw the ball out of bounds instead of testing him. The young sensation feels that his defensive influence extends far beyond just blocks.
“Oh, absolutely. I believe I had a solid defensive performance — irrespective of blocks,” he elaborated. “There are numerous ways to affect the game. It will become increasingly common for players to turn down shots.”
When a journalist proposed the idea of tracking a statistic for “drives derailed” — indicating the instances in which opponents choose not to confront him — Wembanyama concurred.
“Definitely, that’s a fantastic idea. We conduct extensive video analysis with Sean Sweeney to breakdown scenarios,” he noted. “Often, even before the shot occurs — before the need to block it arises — there are tactics we can implement ahead of time.”
