The San Antonio Spurs walked out of the Paycom Center in Oklahoma with a 111-103 Game 7 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, eliminating the reigning champions from the Western Conference Finals and booking their spot in the 2026 NBA Finals. The Spurs will get ready to face the New York Knicks in a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals.
One of the most important pieces of the Spurs’ success this season has been 24-year-old forward Julian Champagnie. He joined the franchise in February 2023 on a two-way contract, and over three seasons, he solidified his position as the team’s starting power forward through hard work and determination.
He’s a terror on the boards and has had multiple games where he’s stepped up offensively in the Playoffs, including Game 7 against OKC, where Champagnie dropped 20 points and six rebounds with six made three-pointers and a solo 12-0 run. He ended the night with the highest plus/minus of any Spurs with a +16 in an eight-point win.
Champagnie reflected on his NBA journey over the last few seasons in his post-game media interview, talking about going from being waived by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023 to now going to the NBA Finals with the Spurs, crediting the franchise with saving his career when he thought he was going to be out of the league.
“I thought it was over. I ain’t gonna lie to you. We’re always told how small the window is to get into the league, stay there, and make a career for yourself. Getting waived with no warning, no nothing, explanation or anything, it was tough. It was tough for a 23-year-old kid trying to go out there and chase my dreams, telling myself, ‘You can do this.'”
“My agent told me it could be anywehere. Obviously, it ended up being San Antonio. I put my head down and decided to make it work… And find that spot on the team. Just fit in where I can. It’s been treating me good so far.”
“I love my teammates, I love the coaching staff, and everybody in the organization. It’s a great place to be, and there’s no better place that I could be in. Big, big shout out to the San Antonio Spurs taking an opportunity to a kid from Brooklyn”
Champagnie’s journey isn’t lost on his teammates, with Western Conference Finals MVP Victor Wembanyama specially crediting Champagnie’s contributions as having ‘taken’ the Spurs to the Finals.
“Julian’s amazing. He deserves everything that he gets. He got cut in the NBA a few years back. He’s had tough moments…now he’s taking this team to the NBA Finals.”
Champagnie averaged 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds over the playoffs, cementing himself as the Spurs’ fifth starter alongside De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Wembanyama. He supplanted Harrison Barnes for that role, and it led to fantastic results for the Spurs with a 62-win regular season and a Finals appearance.
The New York-native will go back to his home state wearing rival colors when they clash against the Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals. Champagnie will have his hands full with New York’s active perimeter trio of Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart. However, Champagnie’s 3-and-D style with high effort might be the perfect way to neutralize whichever one of the three he matches up with. He’ll also have to work extra hard on grabbing rebounds against that trio.
It’s a dream NBA story to go from being waived as an unheralded prospect to becoming a starter on a potential championship squad purely based on work ethic and effectiveness. Champagnie is living that reality and hopes to earn a Championship ring for his efforts to secure his long-term future in the NBA.
