Even though it's 16 months away, summer 2026 was the dominant factor in this week's surge of deadline dealing.

On Sunday, Feb. 16, Victor Wembanyama will make his NBA All-Star debut. He was not named a starter for the Western Conference, but he is expected to be one of the biggest names in the star-studded event, in part due to his international acclaim.

Victor Wembanyama has been rewarded for his stellar performances with the San Antonio Spurs, earning a spot as a reserve for the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend. Just days before the event, the French center sent a strong message to the rest of the league.

Joining Wembanyama as a West reserve are Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Williams, Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, James Harden and Alperen Şengün. The seven reserves from the East are Jaylen Brown, Pascal Siakam, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Cade Cunningham, Damian Lillard and Tyler Herro, as selected by the conference’s coaches.

Victor Wembanyama becomes only the fourth Spurs player to make the All-Star Game in his first or second season.

San Antonio Spurs second-year standout Victor Wembanyama is the most dominant shot-blocker in the NBA, and he tends to sometimes make it look easy.