Young Spurs Forward Thanks The Philadelphia 76ers For Cutting Him

The San Antonio Spurs are one of the most exciting young teams in the entire NBA, and with a core that features many players 25 and younger, they could be a threat in the Western Conference for years to come. While most eyes are on the likes of Dylan Harper and Victor Wembanyama, who were both drafted by the Spurs organization, but there are quality role players that arrived in San Antonio in other ways.

One of those is 24-year old forward Julian Champagnie, who landed in San Antonio as a free agent after he was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers. In 2025/26, he's having his best year yet as an NBA player, as he averages 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, becoming a key piece of the starting lineup with the Spurs.

Now, he's addressed his departure from his first NBA team, shouting out Philadelphia and calling the teams decision to waive him 'one of the best things that's ever happened to him'.

“I’m happy I got cut, probably the best thing that could have happened for me…so shoutout to Philly.”

At 21-years of age, Champagnie signed with the Sixers but appeared in just two games with the team before being waived and picked up by the Spurs.

Ultimately, it's unclear whether or not Champagnie can ever become a star in the NBA, but he's become a much better player than the Sixers could have expected, and it's paid off in a big way for the Spurs.