Julian Champagnie once believed his professional basketball journey might be over after being waived at just 22 years old. But his current breakout season with the San Antonio Spurs has completely reshaped that narrative.
For a player who once sat on the edge of the league, this season has turned into proof that fringe rotation pieces can still swing the biggest games on the biggest stage. Champagnie has leaned heavily on structure and support to maintain consistency through highs and lows.
“My teammates keep in check so I don’t get too high or too low,” Champagnie said.
Champagnie’s defining moment came in Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he delivered the performance of his career. Champagnie erupted for 20 points, knocked down 6-of-10 from three-point range, and finished with a game-high +16 plus-minus.
Champagnie’s shooting display placed him in rare historical company, as only Stephen Curry has hit more threes in a Conference Finals Game 7, with seven made triples compared to Champagnie’s six. For an undrafted player who was cut earlier in his career, the moment proved one of the league’s most unlikely ascents, turning a former roster casualty into a Finals-impacting weapon.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson praised the emergence of his wing contributor, calling Champagnie “phenomenal” and said that he has delivered in crucial moments. Johnson also added that Champagnie has been “an absolute unsung hero.”
Champagnie is now headed toward the NBA Finals, and his journey carries added symbolism. As a Brooklyn native, he is set to play on the sport’s biggest stage, with Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals scheduled for Tuesday, June 3 in San Antonio.
“I don’t think we’re too worried about the fans,” Champagnie said. “Obviously me being from New York, I know how they get. So there’s a little bit of that in me. I don’t think we’re too worried about their fans. We have great fans down in San Antonio. I’m 100 percent sure that the same way Knicks fans will travel, San Antonio fans will travel. So I’m not too worried about fans and stuff like that, we’re gonna make sure it gets done.”
Champagnie is also producing one of the most team-friendly contracts in the league at roughly $3 million per year.