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.

De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama have become one of the NBA's most exciting duos, but the two still have a record of 2-2 overall. While the Spurs have some very close calls and could have very easily gone 4-0 in that span,