Victor Wembanyama made a strong return to the San Antonio Spurs during a preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks, three months after his team's loss in the NBA Finals. The 22-year-old French center played 17 minutes in the first half at the Frost Bank Center, scoring 9 points and grabbing 6 rebounds. He caught the attention of the crowd with an impressive alley-oop from teammate Stephon Castle, where he flipped in the air to complete a powerful dunk with a wide grin. His three-point shooting and defensive efforts, along with a standout performance by Dylan Harper—who scored 16 points in 19 minutes—helped the Spurs take a 67-62 lead at halftime, having led by 19 points after the first quarter. Wembanyama spent the second half on the bench wearing a gray sweatshirt featuring the Spurs' logo, a cowboy spur, stitched on the chest. Center Luke Kornet took over for 15 minutes before coach Mitch Johnson decided to rest his key players, including Wembanyama. The Hawks seized the opportunity to make a comeback and won the game 123-116. Other Spurs players also had notable performances. Forward David Jones contributed 14 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes, while young Californian Carter Bryant, 20 and drafted by the Spurs in 2025, added 11 points and 5 rebounds. Wembanyama, who was named the league's best defender last season and finished third in MVP voting, still has four more preseason games to play before the NBA season starts on October 20 against the Oklahoma Thunder. The Spurs ended the 2025-2026 regular season with the second-best record in the league, behind Oklahoma, with 62 wins and 20 losses. With Wembanyama's presence, they are seen as strong contenders this season, having narrowly missed the title last year with a 4-1 loss to the New York Knicks in the finals.