How Julian Champagnie Shot His Way into San Antonio Spurs' History Books

Julian Champagnie has missed as many as nine 3-pointers in a game this season. He's done it twice, to be exact. And several times he's missed six, some without a make.

Those games, his shooter's instinct kicks in a little bit more than usual.

"I just keep shooting," Champagnie said, citing a necessary short-term memory.

Since joining the San Antonio Spurs at the tail end of the 2022-23 season, Champagnie has gone through nearly every phase of personal development. Playing free is what initially intrigued him, but with under 20 wins, the game simplified without stakes.

That continued into Victor Wembanyama's rookie season, when San Antonio barely managed to match that total as it learned to play around the Frenchman — Champagnie included. Despite the lack of team success, his work ethic stood out immediately.

"That's a guy who's taken every opportunity to get better," Wembanyama said.

Oct 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates with Julian Champagnie (30) after scoring during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

All of it came to a head Saturday evening, when Champagnie shot 6-of-9 from beyond the arc to set a new franchise record for 3-point makes in a single season (192) during the Spurs' 136-134 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets. Champagnie passed Danny Green, who set the previous record of 191 during the Spurs' 2014-15 season.

“I give all the credit to my teammates,” Champagnie said, echoing a sentiment he's shared all season. “It was good to celebrate it with them.”

Current Spurs in the locker room at Ball Arena weren't the only ones celebrating the feat.

"Long time coming," Green said, congratulating Champagnie in a video posted to X. "If anybody was going to do it, I knew it would be you. I hoped it would be you."

Before joining the Spurs, Champagnie played on a two-way contract for the Philadelphia 76ers. He signed with the team as an undrafted free agent with an ego bruised from not hearing his name called on draft night, similar to his twin brother, Justin.

“I cried a lot," Julian admitted. "I was pissed, but I think it just fueled the fire.”

Mar 30, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) goes up for a dunk in front of Chicago Bulls guard Rob Dillingham (7) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The forward leaned on his brother after his stint with the 76ers came to an inevitable end; Justin was Julian's role model and test dummy. He was also the bearer of the good news that the Spurs had interest in signing him.

"You have a niche," Gregg Popovich told him early on. "You can shoot the basketball, which makes you valuable. But you’ve got to work on defense and become a complete player."

Champagnie leaned on that advice as much as he could as his career continued to grow. Watching his work pay off through more minutes motivated him further.

“He was a guy that really wanted it so bad," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "He wore his emotions on his sleeve, and at times rode the roller coaster of outcomes."

Since he was a draft prospect, Champagnie knew the possibility existed in which he didn't make the league, or at least, went undrafted. He chose not to let it take too much head space; now, he's enjoying the amusement park-like thrill of his own journey.

“Obviously I put the work in and I’m confident in my own abilities,” Champagnie said, “but any record you get to break in this league is a blessing.”

Added Wembanyama: "It's great to see him reach achievements like this. I'm really proud."

Handed the game ball by Spurs assistant coach Mike Noyes, Champagnie relished in the history he'd made. A win to accompany the accomplishment would have been nice, but he knew his squad had four more chances at earning its 60th win.

That game, he'll hope not to miss nine 3s. Not even six. But if he does, it won't affect his confidence as the playoffs loom. Just like it didn't for Danny Green.

Champagnie will have the support of his predecessor in that regard, too.

"Keep it rolling through the playoffs," Green said. "You're going to be clutch. You're going to be an X-factor for this group. Keep the 3s rolling, brother."