Making the case for the Spurs to receive an NBA Christmas Day game

As hard as the NBA and media may try to make the In-Season Tournament the marquee event of the regular season, longtime NBA fans will always look to the Christmas Day games as one of the highlights of the year.

The San Antonio Spurs aren't strangers to playing on Christmas Day; they've logged 11 appearances on Christmas and were regular fixtures from 2013 to 2016. But that appearance in 2016 marked the last time San Antonio showed up on the special holiday.

It's unpleasant to admit, but the Spurs haven't deserved a place on the national stage for the last eight years. They were decent from 2017 to 2019, but decent doesn't get you a spot on the biggest stage the regular season has to offer. You have to have something special.

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs should be fixtures on Christmas

Under almost any other circumstances, campaigning for a 22-win team to be one of the lucky few selected to play on Christmas would seem ludicrous. But the Christmas games aren't just about showcasing the best teams in the NBA. They're as much a marketing venture as anything else. And the NBA should have a vested interest in putting Victor Wembanyama on as many screens as they can, as often as possible.

Vic's rookie season was one for the history books. He fundamentally altered what we thought was possible from the center position. He strung together highlight after highlight with a casual ease that should terrify fans of every other NBA team. When he was matched up against other superstars, you could tell he got fired up and played up to his competition.

Whether it was an electric matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo or a duel with Nikola Jokic that fundamentally altered the Nuggets' path to a title defense, Vic has shown that he's at his best when the lights are brightest. That's exactly the kind of player the NBA needs to showcase.

The Spurs might not be much better next season. A year of improvement from the existing cast plus Stephon Castle, Harrison Barnes, and whatever Chris Paul has left in the tank might be able to push this team to forty-something wins.

That's a little below where a team playing on Christmas would typically finish, but again, San Antonio has Victor Wembanyama. Record be damned, the NBA has an obligation to push its stars to center stage at every opportunity, and Vic is undoubtedly the brightest young star in the league today.