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Undrafted Guard Champagnie Becomes Spurs Finals Star After 2023 Waiver

1 June 2026 · Source balance: Centre

Julian Champagnie has gone from being waived by the Philadelphia 76ers in February 2023 to becoming a key starter for the San Antonio Spurs as they advance to the 2026 NBA Finals. The 24-year-old undrafted guard set a Spurs franchise record with 195 three-pointers this season and delivered 20 points on six three-pointers in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, helping San Antonio defeat the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder 111-103. Champagnie will now return home to New York to face the Knicks in the Finals at Madison Square Garden, a full-circle moment for the Brooklyn native who cried after going undrafted in 2022. His remarkable three-year journey from near career-ending rejection to Finals starter highlights the importance of perseverance and organizational support in professional basketball development.

Key facts

  • Julian Champagnie was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers on February 14, 2023, after the Sixers signed Mac McClung to the two-way contract spot instead
  • Champagnie set a Spurs franchise record with 195 made three-pointers in the 2025-26 regular season
  • He scored 20 points on 6-of-10 three-point shooting in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on May 31, 2026
  • Champagnie went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft and played college basketball at St. John's University
  • The Spurs advanced to the 2026 NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 with a 111-103 Game 7 victory over Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Champagnie averaged 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds during the 2025-26 regular season, both career highs

Limits of this briefing

This is primarily a sports story with limited political or cultural controversy, so traditional left-right framing does not apply. Coverage is largely uniform across sports media outlets in celebrating Champagnie's comeback narrative.

Sources

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