With respect to Chris Paul, who has done an admirable job as a veteran leader, the Spurs don't have their point guard of the future on the roster right now. They need a young pick-and-roll scorer who can run the floor with Wembanyama. There aren't many available targets that fit better than the 27-year-old Fox.

After the game, Chris Paul spoke about Wembanyama when he met with the media. Paul: "I can't imagine what it was like for Vic to come back home and play. I know he was so excited.

The story, as Buford tells it, goes like this: Claudio Crippa, an international scout for the Spurs, proposed going to see a youth game before checking out Doumbouya. Buford saw Wembanyama play for the first time that day. And the seeds for the Spurs’ new master plan were immediately planted.