What happened: Victor Wembanyama said he went straight to coach Gregg Popovich as soon as the team landed following San Antonio's Game 7 victory in Oklahoma City. "The emotion was really something I haven't felt in a while," Wembanyama said. "I don't even know since when." The exchange came after the Spurs closed out the Western Conference Finals to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.

Why it matters: The moment underscores how far Wembanyama has carried San Antonio, reaching the league's biggest stage. His bond with Popovich has been a throughline of the Spurs' rapid climb, and a deep-from-the-bench emotional reaction signals just how much the run means to the franchise's young centerpiece.

What to watch: The Spurs open the NBA Finals at home, with Wembanyama's two-way impact the central storyline as San Antonio looks to convert its conference title into a championship.