Spurs Clinch Southwest Division Title Behind Wembanyama — Fastest Franchise Rebuild in NBA History

To understand how far and how fast this franchise has traveled, consider the context: in the 2023-24 season — Wembanyama's rookie year — San Antonio finished 22-60, the third-worst record in the Western Conference. They were a team in deliberate construction mode, accumulating draft picks and young talent around the generational prospect they had won in the lottery. In 2024-25, they won 41 games and squeezed into the play-in tournament before losing in the first round. This season, they have not merely made the playoffs — they have dominated a division that includes the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, and Denver Nuggets.

“They were a team in deliberate construction mode, accumulating draft picks and young talent around the generational prospect they had won in the lottery.”

The organizational architect of this timeline is head coach Gregg Popovich — or more precisely, the coaching staff that has operated under Popovich's philosophy while the 77-year-old legend has taken a reduced on-floor role following a mild stroke in November 2024. Assistant coaches Mitch Johnson and Becky Hammon have managed the day-to-day game-planning, and the continuity of the Spurs' system — predicated on ball movement, defensive versatility, and positional IQ — has given Wembanyama the ideal structure to develop without excessive offensive burden early in his career.

The Spurs' supporting cast has grown alongside him. Stephon Castle, the 2024 fourth-overall pick, is averaging 18.4 points and 7.9 assists in his second season — a pace that has him firmly in Most Improved Player conversations. Harrison Barnes provides veteran leadership and perimeter shooting. The two-way contract players who were roster filler in 2024 have become rotation pieces.

What makes this division title surprising is the company San Antonio has left behind. The Oklahoma City Thunder — last year's Western Conference finalists — are second in the Southwest at 49-24, a record that would lead most divisions in any other year. The Spurs are simply better. Their net rating of +8.7 is second in the entire league behind only the Boston Celtics; their defensive rating of 107.4 is the best in the Western Conference.

The question playoff analysts are now asking is not whether the Spurs can make noise in the postseason, but how deep they can go. Wembanyama's playoff experience is limited — five games in last year's play-in run — and the difference between regular-season dominance and playoff success is well-documented. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who are battle-tested from their conference finals run, would be the Spurs' most likely second-round opponent, and the Thunder's physicality presents a specific challenge for a San Antonio team that prefers pace and space over grinding half-court basketball.

For the NBA's broader narrative, however, the Spurs' rise serves a purpose beyond just San Antonio. The league's competitive integrity — the idea that losing teams can rebuild and contend through the draft — is the bedrock of the NBA's business model. The Spurs are the proof of concept the league needed in a moment when tanking debates have become louder than ever.

**What this means for you**

If you're tracking playoff bracket scenarios, San Antonio's division title locks in the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the West depending on how the final nine games shake out. Wembanyama's availability — he has been listed as day-to-day with a minor ankle issue since March 18 but has not missed a game — is the single most important health story in the Western Conference playoffs.

For sports bettors, the Spurs entered the season at +1400 to win the NBA title. That line has moved to +450 at most major books. Given Wembanyama's age, supporting cast, and coaching infrastructure, the more interesting line is now in the multi-year championship markets: San Antonio is favored at several books to win multiple titles before 2030, with odds around +120.

The March 23 clincher was the moment that confirmed what had been building all season: this is not a Cinderella story. It is the Spurs doing what the Spurs have always done — building something that lasts.