Last year, Victor Wembanyama spent part of his offseason in the peaceful company of Chinese monks with hopes of growing both mentally and spiritually.
This year, he got roughed up by a rugby team.
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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) blocks a 3-point shot by Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin, right, during a preseason NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) is pressured by Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) and center Duop Reath (26) during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts as he scores against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to a play during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama shoots during warmups before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
His rationale seems obvious. Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs got near the top of the NBA mountain last season, then fell in five games to the New York Knicks — wasting big leads in all four of their losses. Wembanyama decided he needed to get tougher, so a rugby club in the south of France was enlisted to help with that mission this summer.
He got pushed. He got shoved. He got tossed around. He loved it all. And now, as Wembanyama gets ready for the scrums awaiting in his fourth NBA season, the French superstar listed at 7-foot-4 looks bigger and stronger. That's great for the Spurs. That might not be great for the other 29 teams.
“It feels like going through something of great magnitude and feels like destiny (for) anybody,” Wembanyama said. “We’re fighting for the top spot of the mountain and we’re going to have to move people in our way. That’s just the way it is.”
The goal for the Spurs this season is clear — a championship, and rightly so. Aiming at anything else would make no sense, especially after winning the Western Conference last season by taking a Game 7 in Oklahoma City to oust the 2025 NBA champions.
It's not an unrealistic expectation. The annual poll of NBA general managers was released Thursday, and not only did they give the Spurs the nod as favorites to win the 2027 title, they made Wembanyama the overwhelming pick to win defensive player of the year for the second consecutive season and what would be his first Most Valuable Player award.
“We have some goals between us that we’re going to keep between us as teammates, but we have some other goals that are obvious,” Wembanyama said. “We won the West last year. We don’t want to do anything less this year, and we want to be the first seed, and we want to keep fighting for this top spot.”
Wembanyama fills a stat sheet like nobody else in today's NBA.
He's finished with at least 176 blocked shots, 168 assists and 122 3-pointers in all three of his seasons thus far (and one of those seasons was cut short by deep vein thrombosis). The only other player in NBA history to put up all those numbers in a season is Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren, who did it once. Granted, there was no 3-point line in the Wilt Chamberlain era and blocks didn't start getting officially charted until 1973 — but it still can't be argued that what Wembanyama does night in and night out is unique.
And the Spurs want more.
“I think he has a ton of room to improve in all aspects,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.
He wasn't kidding, either.
“I think one thing for him will just be to continue to manipulate the game and dictate the game,” Johnson said. “Not just by scoring, but by making plays for his teammates, forcing the defense to make a decision and taking advantages of opportunities that are in front of him and probably continuing to connect those throughout the game where he’s almost puppeteering the game — as we see the best players in our game do and we’ve seen him do. I think that’s an area for him to continue to grow in.”
It's been on display at times in the preseason. Wembanyama has always been a willing passer, but prioritizing it even more should create even more headaches for opponents.
“He’s always been a great facilitator,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “He sees the floor well. I mean, his assist numbers, they could vary, honestly. It’s the way he sees the floor, the way teams guard him. He gets a different look every single game. Just knowing him, he’s going to make the right read for that possession. We want him to be default-aggressive in all those situations.”
The Spurs didn't have the burden of expectation as Wembanyama was entering his first three seasons. Even last year's team wasn't thought of as a title contender in October; a playoff team, maybe, but not a team that would win the West title.
Now, the spotlight is on San Antonio. It's what Wembanyama wanted. The loss to the Knicks only steeled his resolve, and a little help from a rugby club might have provided the boost that could get the Spurs their long-coveted next title.
“We’re in a great spot,” Wembanyama said. “We’re very hopeful. Very ambitious. And we’re ready.”
See AP’s full NBA coverage here
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) blocks a 3-point shot by Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin, right, during a preseason NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) is pressured by Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) and center Duop Reath (26) during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts as he scores against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to a play during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama shoots during warmups before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Garrett Mitchell hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning, Milwaukee's brilliant bullpen slammed the door late and the Brewers rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Thursday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series to earn their first World Series trip since 1982.
No. 9 hitter David Hamilton's two-out solo shot off Edwin Díaz gave the Brewers a two-run cushion in the ninth. Hamilton had just four homers in the regular season.
“We got down early tonight and we were like, it’s going to be a great story,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said. “We’re going to come back and win this. Like, stay together, start chipping away. And that’s exactly what they did.”
Aaron Ashby pitched three scoreless innings for a save as the Brewers erased a four-run deficit to win their first NL pennant and second overall. Milwaukee was in the American League when the franchise made its only previous World Series appearance 44 years ago, a seven-game loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Shohei Ohtani's first home run this postseason helped put the Dodgers ahead 4-0 in the second inning before the Brewers came back to complete a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions a year after getting swept by Los Angeles in the NLCS.
“They may have a bunch of Hall of Famers, but we’ve got a bunch of gamers — and the gamers won this week,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said.
The Dodgers' goal of a three-peat — not done since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000 and never by a National League team — died with their anemic offense and injuries to Ohtani and others on their aging roster.
“I'm not used to those consolation speeches,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The thing about sports that we all love is no matter how much you prepare, you want it, there’s no guarantees.”
After topping the majors with 103 wins during the regular season, Milwaukee became the first major league club to finish a postseason sweep after getting swept by that same opponent in the previous postseason.
The Brewers also are the first team to sweep a best-of-seven postseason series in which it trailed in every game.
“There was never a doubt in that dugout what was going to happen tonight. We knew we were going to win that game,” said first baseman Jake Bauers, the NLCS MVP.
With the score tied 4-all, Mitchell fell behind 0-2 before reliever Tanner Scott threw three straight balls for a full count. Mitchell’s 409-foot leadoff drive to center field — the first homer of his career on an 0-2 count — put the Brewers ahead for the first time. Mitchell also homered in their 6-2 victory Wednesday.
“It’s absolutely surreal," Mitchell said. "You talk about the battle-tested Brewers. We went down early and the belief in that dugout got stronger and stronger.”
The Brewers’ bullpen coolly turned away multiple threats when the Dodgers had the potential tying run on base.
Winning pitcher JoJo Romero struck out Max Muncy with Kyle Tucker at third to end the sixth.
With one out in the seventh and a runner on third, Ashby struck out Ohtani swinging before Mookie Betts grounded out to end the inning. Will Smith doubled to right with one out in the eighth and was safe at third when the ball got away from Sal Frelick for an error before Ashby got Tucker to fly out and Teoscar Hernández to strike out.
“Playing with that chip on our shoulder,” Ashby said. “You don’t ever know what to expect going into a series like that last year (against the Dodgers). You don’t know how bad it can be, and then it was as bad as it was. And we came out and we survived, and we came back this year, and those guys played their tails off.”
The Brewers tied it in the fifth, when the Dodgers bullpen issued four walks and Milwaukee stole two bases. Hamilton’s single chased starter Tyler Glasnow and scored Frelick, who walked and stole second, to pull Milwaukee to 4-3.
Alex Vesia came in and promptly walked Brice Turang and William Contreras to load the bases. Vesia then walked Bauers with two outs to force in Hamilton with the tying run.
Glasnow retired his first 10 batters — six on strikeouts — before the Brewers got to him in the fourth. Turang walked, Contreras hit a ground-rule double and Bauers followed with another ground-rule double that closed Milwaukee to 4-2.
Ohtani broke out of his postseason slump with a three-run homer after Andy Pages’ RBI single in the second. The four-time MVP released weeks of pent-up frustration by raising his arms and yelling and the crowd of 49,104 joined him in celebration.
But the Brewers wouldn't be denied. And when it was over, owner Mark Attanasio thought of Milwaukee's longtime owner and beloved late broadcaster.
“It’s so important for the community, the entire state of Wisconsin,” Attanasio said. “We’re standing on shoulders of Bud Selig and Bob Uecker.”
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich celebrates after Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby celebrates the final out of Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers connects for a two-RBI double during the fourth inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani celebrates his three run home run during the second inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jojo Romero celebrates an out during the sixth inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell celebrates his solo home run with catcher William Contreras in the dugout during the sixth inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell follows through on his solo home run during the sixth inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
