How do you stop Victor Wembanyama? Right now, that is probably the greatest mystery in the NBA. With the Finals around the corner, the New York Knicks need to desperately find a solution. It doesn’t matter that they’ve won 11 games in a row to get here. But here’s the thing: they do have the key to contain the San Antonio Spurs superhero. The only question is… how?

New York has someone none of the Western Conference teams had in this postseason: Jeremy Sochan. The 23-year-old played 3+ seasons of his career with the Spurs. In fact, he shared a close bond with Wemby. Earlier, Sochan emphasized the value of sharing insights about the Spurs with his current team. More recently, however, he turned the spotlight toward Wemby, offering his thoughts on how to stop him. Jared Schwartz of the New York Post reported the same.

“Being that tall, he gets tired,” Sochan said. “Give him different looks and [not beat him up but] be very physical, and make him run. He’s gonna get tired, he’s gonna have to take some plays off, in my opinion. Whether I’m playing or not, it’s important to feed all the information I have. And I think I know quite a lot.”

Let’s understand the ex-Spurs star’s point of view:

• At 7’4″, Wembanyama carried one of the heaviest workloads in the playoffs. He led the Spurs in scoring, rebounding, and rim protection, while ranking near the top of the league in minutes played. The Knicks can hence attack him with multiple bodies and force him to fight for position on every trip. Even a small 5-10% dip in energy will impact a player handling this much responsibility.
• During the Western Conference Finals against OKC, Wembanyama attempted only five shots at the rim while settling for six jumpers from the 20-29 foot range. That is exactly where opponents want him.
• One WCF game saw him finish with only six rebounds and just one in the first half while shooting 4-of-15 (26.7%). OKC’s pressure kept him away from his usual rebounding spots.
• Wembanyama is averaging more than 3.5 blocks per game, with a block rate of nearly 10%. However, forcing repeated rotations and closeouts can slowly reduce those game-changing defensive plays.
• The Spurs were +50 with Wembanyama on the floor over a recent four-game stretch, posting a 102 defensive rating and a +14.2 net rating. Without him, those numbers collapsed to roughly a 133 defensive rating and a -43 net rating.
• Wembanyama led the playoffs with 180+ total rebounds, 140+ defensive rebounds, and 60 blocks, while posting a PER of 27-28 and a VORP of 1.6. The Knicks do not need to stop him completely. They simply need to make every rebound, rotation, sprint, and post touch feel difficult enough to slightly reduce his overall impact.

Now, the reason why Jeremy Sochan knows the French prodigy so well is his bond with Wemby. Their friendship became one of the most talked-about friendships in San Antonio. Wembanyama even showed up with blonde hair for a period, as a playful nod to his teammate. Sochan was building a strong resume at San Antonio until he slipped out of rotation under head coach Mitch Johnson’s leadership.

Sadly, the Spurs waived him in February around the trade deadline this year. And he landed with the Knicks. Interestingly enough, Sochan added depth off the bench. He played 16 regular-season games, averaging 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in 6.9 minutes, while his playoff role has been even smaller, with five appearances, 4.6 minutes per game, and averages of four points and one rebound.

Well, the 23-year-old surely gave insights on how to make his former teammate uncomfortable throughout the finals. But….

Who in the New York Knicks will disrupt Victor Wembanyama out of his comfort zone in the 2026 Finals?

Jeremy Sochan’s idea is surprisingly simple. Victor Wembanyama becomes most dangerous when he can conserve energy and dictate the game around the rim. Therefore, the Knicks’ goal would be to make every possession feel like work. Push the pace and force the 7’4″ star to sprint baseline to baseline as the Spurs’ primary rim protector.

Even an extra 3 to 4 possessions per game creates several more full-court runs. In the half-court, New York can keep him busy through constant screening actions, switches, recoveries, and closeouts. The objective is to raise his contest count by another 3 to 5 shots each night while pulling him away from his comfort zones.

If the Knicks can cut his restricted area looks by roughly 20% to 25% while increasing his jump shot volume, they can affect his efficiency without necessarily reducing his scoring totals. And the responsibility would likely be shared across the roster. OG Anunoby appears tailor-made for the toughest assignments, using his strength and discipline to deny easy catches and force Wembanyama into uncomfortable spots.

Sochan brings another layer because he already understands Wembanyama’s habits from their years together in San Antonio. He can crowd him, front him, and stay attached throughout possessions. Meanwhile, Josh Hart can create extra wear and tear by crashing the boards relentlessly, while Mikal Bridges can keep Wembanyama involved in multiple defensive actions instead of allowing him to sit in help coverage.

Jalen Brunson could become one of the biggest tests Victor Wembanyama faces in the Finals. Every Brunson pick-and-roll would force the Spurs star to contest harder, adding to an already massive workload as San Antonio’s defensive anchor. If Brunson can involve him in 15 to 20 direct actions per game, those are 15 to 20 extra high-effort defensive possessions on top of his rebounding and rim protection duties.

Moreover, Brunson’s crafty drives and sudden stops can pressure Wembanyama into difficult decisions near the basket. Even drawing an additional 2 to 3 fouls per game could limit Wembanyama’s aggression. Lastly, Karl-Anthony Towns may be the final piece of the puzzle. His shooting range can drag Wembanyama away from the basket and force additional closeouts throughout the game. As a result, the Knicks could strategically rotate responsibilities.

In case you’re wondering how Wembanyama is feeling ahead of a tough Finals series, here’s what he said.

“You work all these hours, it’s four years, type of emotion,” Wembanyama said. “I want that [championship]. I want to win so bad. It’s like my life depends on it… This is the best basketball on the planet that’s being played right now. And the crazy thing is, maybe I’m crazy for that. But I want to do that 15, 20 more times. Let’s hope it doesn’t become an addiction. Maybe it is already!”

So, it is quite clear that the Frenchman isn’t going to hold back. It now comes down to how the Knicks can utilize Jeremy Sochan’s valuable information. Wear out The Alien before he takes control. And that might not be the easiest task. Yet, the Knicks have written their own story this season. Therefore, this Spurs vs Knicks finals matchup could be one meant for the history books!