When Kawhi Leonard’s leg gave out as a San Antonio Spurs in the 2017 Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors, it was the last time in our present history that the Spurs were a title contender with a generational talent leading them.

That’s quite a shocking thing for Warriors fans who watched Hall-of-Fame hoopers like David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker run roughshod over Golden State for years on the way to compete for championships.

In those days, the Warriors were often fodder for a dynasty racing to collect as many titles as possible under the watchful eye of headmaster Gregg Popovich.

So when Leonard collapsed to the court holding his leg, after what Popovich mentioned in the same breath as manslaughter occurred from Zaza Pachulia, it was a harbinger of dark days to come for the proud franchise.

The Warriors would roll on to vanquish San Antonio out of the postseason, gold blooded revenge from the 2013 playoffs when the Spurs bested an upstart Splash Bros squad.

The Dubs would eventually win back-to-back championships after, their third in four years, solidifying themselves as the modern dynastic replacement to the old Spurs.

And Dub Nation closed that chapter on San Antonio, finally able to rest in the knowledge that they had watched their old tormentors be put into the proverbial basketball grave by the hands of Stephen Curry and Co.

But this year, the Spurs for the first time since then have had legitimate star power on their team that portends to a return to future contention.

Their sensationally hyped #1 pick Victor Wembanyama has been as good as advertised, putting up nightly highlights that feel like terrifying fragments of a swirling fever dream of the next dominant future Spurs team.

That 7-foot-4 rookie dribbles like a guard, shoots like a stretch big, and defends the rim like prime Admiral used to.

Rex Chapman: king of Kentucky, NBA record-setter … Social Media Sensation

People mostly know Rex Chapman as that guy from Twitter, various podcasts, and TV appearances.

He’s become a big-deal personality. They might also know it’s taken a long road of recovery for Chapman to reach this point in his life and career.

And maybe people know Chapman used to play basketball … but not much more than that.

That’s where this episode of Prism comes in: Chapman’s basketball career — from Kentucky to various interesting stints in the pros — is worth examining.

There’s a lot to it. Let’s dig into the pretty good and very interesting basketball career of a person who’s become more famous for something else.

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So I’m proud to say that the Warriors were able to win their season series against the Spurs this year, taking three out of four contests, including Easter Sunday’s 117-113 win.

Wembanyama was problematic though, scoring 32 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks in a performance that any Spurs legendary big man would have been proud of.

Victor Wembanyama tonight:

32 PTS
9 REB
5 AST
4 STL
3 BLK
55.0 FG%

The greatest rookie of all time pic.twitter.com/hgGUehKWFh

— Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) April 1, 2024

(Remember when the Spurs acquired Aldridge and in 2016 he was supposed to be the big man the Dubs wouldn’t be able to handle? Gosh I wish the Dubs would have faced the Spurs in the ‘16 playoffs to see how those two titans would have clashed.)

Wemby only played in three of the contests this season, with the Warriors winning two out of the three.

The Spurs have won a meager 18 games this season, and per the Associated Press:

“San Antonio has seven games remaining to avoid finishing with the worst record in franchise history – with the futility mark of 20-62 set in 1997.”

But Wemby is proving to be quite the draft pick. We’ll see you down the road Spurs, keep on pounding that rock.