It didn’t take long for the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs to get involved in some extra physicality this season.
Their season opener had lasted less than 15 minutes on the game clock when OKC’s Jaylin Williams and the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama found themselves at the center of a fight.
It wasn’t the most violent scuffle ever, but it certainly made the point that this matchup is going to be at the center of the Western Conference all season long.
The Thunder and Spurs were chosen to play each other on the first night of the season because the NBA knows their rivalry, even though it involves smaller markets, can capture the attention of the basketball world.
OKC and San Antonio know it, too. They know how important it is to get a leg up on their biggest on-court rival. And sometimes the intensity boils over.
Why Did Jaylin Williams Fight Wemby?
The funny part about this particular spat is that neither Williams nor Wembanyama was part of the initial action.
De’Aaron Fox was guarding Chet Holmgren down in the paint, and Holmgren obviously has a big height advantage there.
When the ball was lobbed toward Holmgren, Fox pretty much threw him to the ground with his two arms around Holmgren’s waist.
Williams immediately hustled over to get in Fox’s face.
Wembanyama didn’t waste any time standing in front of his teammate and telling Williams to pick on someone his own size (of course, Wemby is no one’s “own size”).
A bunch of teammates and refs quickly came to make sure things didn’t get more intense, but some words and shoves were definitely exchanged:
We have a fight. I repeat we have a fight.
Wemby vs Jaylin Williamsđż https://t.co/U8EZIBGk1k
â NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) October 21, 2026
Thunder Make Final Statement
At the end of the day, a statement was made by both Williams and Wemby in showing that they weren’t backing down.
But then it was the Thunder with the final laugh on this night. They picked up the 116-104 win.
A season ago, San Antonio made the NBA Finals, denying OKC a chance to defend their championship. But then the Spurs lost to the New York Knicks, so both came up short of their goal.
This season, they’ll both be chasing the top of the mountain, and it’s very likely that they’ll stand in the way of each other.
And if one thing was made clear on opening night, it was this: Both sides are ready for the battle ahead.
Thunder’s Jaylin Williams Fights Wemby in Early Statement