We are all lucky to be able to watch it. Not just as Spurs fan. As basketball fans. As Sports fans. As Human beings. We get to see something amazing unfold right before our eyes. It’s like seeing the Grand Canyon in real time. This is not the first time that this kid has left my speechless and I’m certain it won’t the last.

Victor is not the focus of most of the conversations that surround him. It’s all the supporting actors. The people that you see right now, and the ones that don’t. The people who will be there and those that won’t. I’m no different. I can’t help but think about what pieces to get and how to build around him. The basketball in my hands often feels secondary compared to the hypothetical matches that I’m planning.

Victor’s coolest feature is that he seems to not care about anything. Sure, he may have dreams, hopes, and plans for the future. But he also seems to be extremely focused on the here and now. He’s mad. He’s angry. He doesn’t give a damn about the context, or the bigger picture. He only cares about the game in front of him. He wants to wrestle that game into submission. He doesn’t wish to win in the near future; he wants it now.

You can see that this could be misinterpreted as impatience. The Spurs have to accelerate their timeline. The Spurs cannot afford to wait. I hear you and I understand. But I don’t believe that’s the case. Victor is intelligent enough to have two thoughts running in his mind. He can chew gum and walk at the same time. He can have a bigger perspective without losing the competitive fire which drives him to excel.

The game against Nuggets last night really clinched it for me. The season, in essence, is over. Victor has achieved pretty much all that he wanted to accomplish this year. He’s going up against the NBA champions and the best players in the world. His two best running buddies were just put on the ice for the remainder of the season. This game was a waste of time. This game was destined to be forgotten. No one would have batted a eye if Victor had come out, gone through the motions and kept on sailing to his impossibly brilliant future.

But he did not want that. He didn’t mind that Malaki Branham, Devante Graham and others were in the same foxhole as him. He didn’t seem to care that the odds against him were impossible. All of it seemed to be irrelevant. Victor turned to his teammates and said “Let’s go.” He fought, he fought, and he raised all the guys’ floor. He made it easier for them. He did everything he could to get this motley team across the finish line, and he was genuinely surprised that he wasn’t able to. No one asked him. No one asked him to do it. It’s just how he is wired.

Victor seems to be acutely aware that he is the only person he can control. It’s You can find out more about it here. effort, You can find out more about it here. Talent is a great thing. You can find out more about it here. attitude. He is in control of these things and chaos reigns everywhere else. He seems to know that these things can be extremely powerful in terms of success on the court. So he is going to push the limits and go full throttle every time he steps out on the court.

We’re lucky. We are incredibly lucky that he and we both exist and can go through it together. It’s sometimes hard to smile after a loss, but the Spurs seem to be winning at the moment.

Takeaways:

• Last night, the camera caught Nikola Jokic smiling and shrugging his shoulders after Victor performed one of his magic tricks. Then, he would walk down the court and continue to dominate as he always has. He seems incredibly likable, in a way that I wouldn’t have imagined he would be a couple years ago. He’s a good actor and he has a great sense of humor. I don’t understand why this is endearing, because his whole thing could be irritating in the wrong hands. Anyway. I like to watch him.
• Praise the basketball gods for bringing us some great playoff battles between both teams in the future. This feels like something the universe must deliver for the good of…I’m not sure, humanity?
• Malaki Branham put on a great show. This guy looks like he has been playing in the starting line-up all year. It would have been easy for guys like Malaki, Julian Champagnie or Devonte Graham feel intimidated if they were asked to play in this position. But it’s nice to see these guys go out and show a lot more confidence.
• Tre Jones is a good guy. He’s good! I’m a believer! I know a lot Spurs fans have come to the conclusion that Tre will be a part of the team in the future. But I want it to be known loud and clear. He’s good. He’s good! I’d feel pretty bad if he didn’t continue to be a part of my life. He’s good!

WWL Post Game Press Conference

– It’s getting close to the end here. What do you need to let out?

I…don’t believe it? This year, chest feels pretty clear. Lots of takes came out of the oven. A lot of emotions were felt. Lots of ideas were pushed out into the world. Yes, I believe we covered a great deal.

What do you regret?

– I don’t regret a word I ever said.

It seems like an adventurous choice.

Happiness comes from the knowledge that you cannot be right all the times unless you truly believe it does not matter.

– What?

Okay, I may regret that one.