The story, as Buford tells it, goes like this: Claudio Crippa, an international scout for the Spurs, proposed going to see a youth game before checking out Doumbouya. Buford saw Wembanyama play for the first time that day. And the seeds for the Spurs’ new master plan were immediately planted.

Victor Wembanyama means business, as the Spurs star has no intentions of fraternizing during his first All-Star Game roster inclusion.

Three straight Spurs games had gone down to the final possession heading into Monday, heart palpitations becoming a fact of life for the team and its fans. As the Spurs went into the fourth quarter at Washington ahead by only four against the lowly Wizards,