Jalen Brunson spent the entire postseason, especially the NBA Finals, saying the right things. In fact, in some cases, he refused to speak at all. Whether the Knicks were leading a series or facing pressure, the Finals MVP remained measured and insisted every game began at 0-0. Now that the historic Finals are concluded, Brunson has a pointed callout for the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama.

With the Larry O’Brien Trophy secured and placed in the Knicks’ safety locker, Brunson appears to be letting loose. Right after completing a Herculean task, ending NYC’s 53-year trophy drought, Brunson was in a full celebratory vibe on Sunday. At a private party with his team, the star guard appeared to lead the chant:

“F**k Wemby.”

With those chants, they raised a toast to celebrate, according to a viral video circulating on social media. 

On the surface level, the chants may seem a little uncalled for, but JB and Victor Wembanyama had already shared several tense moments in the NBA Finals.

One of the most controversial moments came in Game 3 when the French phenom shoved Brunson to the ground by pushing his left arm on JB’s neck. The officials didn’t review the play and kept the game rolling, leaving the Knicks captain frustrated. 

On top of that, the league refused to retroactively upgrade it. Given the context of Wemby’s previous two penalty points, the decision proved significant. The 7 ‘4 big man could have faced a suspension amid the high-octane Finals. But Brunson, despite taking the blow, avoided escalation. 

He neither retaliated against Wembanyama nor criticized the officials. Even when the reporters enquired about the incident after Game 3, he said:

“Whatever you saw is what you saw.”

In another instance, in Game 4, Wemby had already collected a penalty point for elbowing Karl-Anthony Towns and flirted with suspension. Then, in Game 5, he stepped into Brunson’s landing zone in plain sight. The star guard rolled his ankle and was on the floor, quivering in pain. Yet, the refs refused to blow the whistle. 

It would have sent the Frenchman to the locker room.

Above all, Victor Wembanyama almost entirely removed Jalen Brunson’s presence in the paint. A massive part of his game involved attacking the paint. However, JB did make a few tough layups, including clutch shots near the rim.

Despite all the drama, Brunson maintained composure throughout the series. He further took his elegance up a notch when he shook hands with Spurs coach Mitch Johnson straight after winning the game.

On the other hand, Wembanyama took a different route. 

Jalen Brunson vs. Victor Wembanyama: contrasting leaders

Throughout the Finals, Victor Wembanyama showed plenty of emotion. After blowing a 29-point lead in Game 4, cameras caught Wemby emotional and upset as he headed to the locker room. The pressure only grew as the Knicks inched closer to the victory. 

And right after the Knicks won the title, Wembanyama headed straight to the locker room as the final buzzer sounded. He ignored the Knicks unit and rushed away instead of taking part in the customary post-game handshakes.

The difference in the individual’s approach partly reflects where they are in their career. At 29, Brunson had already faced many failures and navigated through the playoff pressure. Meanwhile, Wemby, in his third year, playing his first postseason, reached the big stage at 22. 

Although he forced an emotional exit after the loss, he seemed to have collected his composure.

Speaking to the press, he said, “As a team, there’s no better experience than what we just lived.”

At the same time, Brunson opened up about his tense moment with Wemby. Speaking on ABC’s The View, he addressed the shove incident. 

“I knew that being a leader, understanding the moment, understanding the situation, you have to keep your composure. No matter when it’s being too high or being too low, you gotta stay even-keeled. That’s something I had for a long time.”

This discipline proved crucial for the Knicks’ glorious run. Given the Knicks’ repeated ability to deliver in the clutch and orchestrate comebacks in every 4th quarter, Brunson’s presence really mattered.