Victor Wembanyama did not need a huge scoring night to leave his mark on Game 7, because his 22 points still carried San Antonio past Oklahoma City.
The Frenchman went 3-for-5 from three, grabbed seven rebounds and made his defensive presence felt as the Spurs beat the Thunder 111-103.
San Antonio’s collective display mattered too, but Wembanyama’s poise helped secure the West and draw a message from the legend whose name sits on the trophy.
Magic Johnson hails Victor Wembanyama after Spurs’ Western Conference win
Magic Johnson posted on X to congratulate Wembanyama on winning the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Trophy as Western Conference Finals MVP.
“I want to congratulate Victor Wembanyama on winning the Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson Trophy as the new Western Conference Finals MVP!” the former Laker wrote.
The award has carried Johnson’s name since 2022, when the NBA introduced trophies for the top player in each conference final.
Prior to that message, Johnson had already posted a wider congratulatory message to the Spurs, calling Wembanyama a “superstar” and praising head coach Mitch Johnson for guiding the run.
That reflected the tone of San Antonio’s win as a collective effort. Julian Champagnie added 20 points, while several Spurs contributors gave Wembanyama the balance needed to survive Game 7.
For the Frenchman, the night felt like another career marker. He led the Spurs in points, anchored the defence and collected a major playoff honour.
Johnson’s message underlined the scale of it, as one generational figure saluted another after San Antonio returned to the NBA Finals stage.