How Victor Wembanyama got crucial support from Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper
The Times Of India June 04, 2026 12:39 PM
By the mid-third quarter, the Spurs are leading the NBA Finals Game 1 against the Knicks. While everyone anticipated Victor Wembanyama ’s standout performance, fans also expected dominance from certain players, including Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper .
Champagnie and Harper have been living the best night of their NBA career. Champagnie is currently leading the roster in scoring with 15 points in 20 minutes of play, and Harper added 14 in 19 minutes. So far, the Spurs are dominating the game.
How Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper are helping Victor Wembanyama in Game 1
Victor Wembanyama once again set the tone for the Spurs. While the franchise star drew most of the attention, San Antonio's depth played a major role in keeping the team in control. Julian Champagnie delivered one of his most efficient outings while knocking down all five of his attempts from beyond the arc. As of now, he has added eight rebounds to provide a strong two-way presence.
The Spurs also received a significant boost from rookie Dylan Harper, who continued to show his versatility.
Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper are living their NBA dreams
It is certainly a dream come true for Harper to be in the NBA Finals against the Knicks as a rookie. “A dream come true,” he said before the game.
He further addressed the attention, “Everyone wants to be there. Everyone wants to be a journey, be a part of it. A ticket request is going to be a ticket request… I let other people handle that for me. As much as they say those tickets are going to be, there aren’t going to be a lot of tickets going out.”
The Spurs rookie also spoke about improving his 3-point shooting , “I think it was just shooting the ball every day… For me, it was more just finding my rhythm, my flow, outside the game and on the court.”
There is no doubt that Harper is very serious about winning alongside the team; he is doing the best he can with the young energy in his sleeves.
As for Champagnie, he comes from New York and is now playing against the Knicks.
“I grew up in Brooklyn — not Staten Island… To be able to go back to the Garden and compete for the championship, it’s the best feeling ever,” Champagnie said.
“I’m super-appreciative of it. I wouldn’t be who I am today without the Spurs organization… It comes down to opportunity at the end of the day. You have to work hard, stay grounded and persevere… hope one day that you get the right opportunity, and you just take it,” he added before the game.
Game 1 has been high-octane, with astonishing thrills all around. By the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Knicks finally led the game, surpassing the Spurs by 1 point as of writing.
