Beyond their dismal win-loss record, there’s a lot to like about the San Antonio Spurs.

Let’s start with the obvious: Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama continues to grow right before our eyes, scoring like a guard trapped in Slenderman’s body, swatting shots with ease, and toying around with defenders he’s head and shoulders above.

Sky’s the limit (both literally and figuratively) for Wembanyama, and that’s what many took home when they saw his stellar performance against the Brooklyn Nets.

The brilliance was on full display and 60 games in, he’s seen anything and everything has pretty much been thrown at him. That he can produce at a high level speaks not only of his talent, but is also a testament to the unseen work he puts in.

No wonder Spurs fans continue to flock to the Frost Bank Center to see their franchise cornerstone.

Then again, the franchise itself has at times given its fanbase some reason to stay for more than just the Wembanyama experience.

San Antonio hasn’t been winning a lot, rather they have been learning to win and the results are showing themselves. The Spurs are 4-6 in their last 10 games, a record that isn’t really that good, but it’s still much better than how they fared early on in the season. In fact, San Antonio continues to be one of the best passing teams in the NBA, as they’re second in the league in assists per game at 29.8.

Winning itself has generally eluded them in 2023-2024, but they’ve been learning to win. The game against the Nets in particular was a great test for them as it was a close game and one that introduced the young San Antonio squad to a pressure-packed situation. It’s safe to say that they performed aptly.

How young players and teams respond to adversity is a boon for their development and the Spurs are soaking that all up this season. Other than securing a top pick in this year’s NBA Draft, San Antonio has nothing to play for this season. It’s tempting to rest their veterans and devote more minutes to the younger players and those in the fringes. However, now’s a perfect time for them to get their rotation players valuable minutes together with development as the primary objective.

The Spurs organization is likely trying to balance their short and long-term objectives, but clearly the work needs to begin. Despite having a shot-blocking menace in Wembanyama, they’re one of the worst teams in the league in terms of defense. Sharpening that side of the ball is not just done through coaching, executing during game situations is equally, if not more important. With 14 games to go, that should be their primary area of focus.

It’s a given that Victor Wembanyama is the main attraction in San Antonio Spurs games, but come and stay for when the Spurs compete with their peers in the NBA. The wins may not be as frequent but the factors that made San Antonio a model organization remain. It just needs to be dug up again for everyone to see.