Everything is Small in Wemby World, except Stephen Curry

SAN ANTONIO, FRIDAY — San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, the current tallest player in the NBA, once again showed just how small opponents are when faced with him. However, his physical superiority always doesn't work against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.

Wemby, as he's known, nearly became the hero in the Spurs' victory over the Warriors in the NBA Cup match at Frost Bank Center Stadium in San Antonio on Saturday (11/15/2025) WIB. With 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks, he demonstrated dominance on both ends of the court.

The French international's physical superiority was evident. At 224 centimeters tall, he was like a giant among dwarfs. This advantage was evident in the final minute of the match, when visiting forward Jimmy Butler, 26 centimeters shorter, fell victim.

Wemby put the Spurs up 108-105 after easily out-rebounding Butler. Tens of seconds later, Butler had a chance to turn the game around with a simple shot from near the basket. However, Wemby blocked the shot well.

Wemby's dominance ultimately proved futile. Curry closed the game with two perfect free throws. The Warriors overturned a 109-108 deficit on the road. Curry, who scored 49 points in just 36 minutes, successfully snatched the hero's status from Wemby's grasp.

Before the decisive free throw, Wemby attempted to disrupt Curry's composure. He urged the audience to be more enthusiastic in disturbing the concentration of the opposing star player. Curry noticed Wemby's actions but remained unprovoked. "I got involved (in that psychological warfare)," he stated.

"This victory feels delightful. They have a great team, so to be here and win consecutively is a significant achievement. We did it together. I know my points look impressive, but we won that together," Curry continued.

Curry, 37, took the Wemby (21) stage twice in three days. Two days earlier at the same stadium, the Warriors also defeated the Spurs 125-120. Curry scored 46 points in that match, as Wemby led the hosts with 30 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.

Through two matches at the Spurs' home, Curry managed to equal the record of legendary basketball player Michael Jordan. Both have successfully scored more than 40 points at the age of thirty or older a total of 44 times. No other player has recorded this achievement more than 31 times.

Wemby may be tall and dominant. However, all of that is in vain if Curry is "on fire" from the three-point line. As seen in the previous game, Curry made nine three-point shots. The points from that aspect alone, 27 points, already exceed Wemby's total record throughout the match.

"Chef Curry," as he is nicknamed, even managed to make a three-point shot right in front of Wemby during the first half. The 188-centimeter guard outsmarted his height disadvantage by moving backward first and increasing the angle of his shot. The ball smoothly sailed into the Spurs' basket.

Previously, the heated battle between Wemby and Curry had already taken place in the final of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Wemby, representing the host nation France, had to bow down to the United States national team. In that match, Curry delivered one of the best performances of his career.

According to Wemby, the Spurs' loss wasn't due to guard De'Aaron Fox missing the final shot, but rather to their inability to contain Curry. "We weren't disruptive enough. We let Curry make 16 of 26 shots, including 7 of 16 three-pointers. That's a lot," he said, sounding disappointed.

Curry may not be young anymore. However, his abilities remain at the highest level. He is still able to average 29.1 points this season, ranking sixth among the most productive players in the NBA. He also leads the list of the highest three-point scorers in the league, averaging 4.5 per game.

From a tactical perspective, Wemby is indeed more disadvantaged when facing Curry. "The Tall One" cannot rely on his advantages to protect the basket area. Curry makes Wemby and his teammates uncomfortable with long-range shots. This forces Wemby to frequently step out of his comfort zone.

Despite losing two consecutive games, the Spurs still hold an advantage over the Warriors in the Western Conference standings. Wemby and his teammates are in 6th place (8 wins - 4 losses), while the Warriors are in 8th place (8-6). (AP/REUTERS)