While Victor Wembanyama has played a massive role in the Spurs' commendable performance this year, which propelled his teammate, De'Aaron Fox, to compare his impact to Stephen Curry.

Following the playoff Game 5 between the San Antonio Spurs and the Portland Trail Blazers on April 28, 2026, Fox appeared in a press conference. This is where he compared his teammate to Curry in terms of their gravitas on the court.

A reporter asked Fox about the defensive impact and radius of the young star. He replied, “It’s like no one else. I mean, between probably him and Steph, like, those are the only guys that you see that have the type of gravity that they have, and it’s amazing to play with.”

Fox knows how hard it is to guard Curry. He has played against him 23 times, and Curry holds a 15-8 winning record in those games. He also averages about 34 points per game against Fox. 

While Wembanyama creates a unique space by changing how teams attack the basket, Curry creates his own space by pulling defenders far away from the basket. Both players force teams to change their entire game plan. It is a trait that links two different styles of basketball.

This connection makes sense when you look at the numbers. The defensive control in the Spurs lineup looks a lot like the offensive control in Golden State.

Stephen Curry and Victor Wembanyama View Each Other Highly

Wembanyama led the NBA this year with 3.1 blocks per game, totaling 197 blocks for the regular season. His defensive rating sat at an impressive 100.9. The defense in San Antonio improved when he played, with their defensive rating dropping by 8.6 points per 100 possessions.

The team block rate also improved from 4.2 percent to 8.0 percent. This helped him win the Defensive Player of the Year award as the youngest winner in history.

Curry shows his excellence on the opposite end of the floor. He forces defenders out of position, which creates space for his teammates. He shot 39.3 % from three-point range during the 2025-26 season. 

Wembanyama creates a vacuum around the rim and the mid-range area. Curry operates in the exact opposite direction. His shooting threat opens up the floor and boosts his teammates. One player pulls defenders toward them on offense. The other player disrupts them on defense. 

In November 2025, Wembanyama reacted to praise from Curry. He said it felt good to have a great player complement him, and he felt Curry had great hope for him. Wembanyama has also listed Curry as his ideal starting point guard. 

Curry feels the same way. In an April 2026 interview after a game against San Antonio, Curry called him a one-of-one talent with attributes you cannot teach. Curry had hyped him up in 2022, calling him a 2K create-a-player.

This comparison shows that a new era of basketball is already here. It will be interesting to watch how this defensive impact grows in the next round of the playoffs.

But, do you think Wemby can lead the Spurs to their 6th title? 

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Souvik Roy