The 2026 loss to the New York Knicks has shaken Victor Wembanyama, and the effects are still showing. The San Antonio Spurs star forward has refused to speak with American media outlets except for 60 Minutes.
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“I’m hearing that Victor does not want to talk about what happened in the finals,” said ESPN’s Michael C. Wright on The Hoop Collective. “I’m hearing like he’s locked in. As a matter of fact, I was told he’s not even talking to any American media outlets except for 60 Minutes.”
“It affected him in a way,” Wright said about Wembanyama’s stance. “And rightfully so,” responded fellow ESPN journalist Brian Windhorst during the conversation.
Windhorst’s point highlights exactly how Wembanyama must have felt after the Knicks defeated the Spurs 4-1. More importantly, the last game was forfeited on home ground, which adds insult to injury.
After all, the French basketball star had great faith in the team, and for good reason too. The Spurs had a fantastic regular season, reaching the playoffs with a record of 62-20, the second-best in the league.
The team was also third in the league in terms of scoring with a powerful 119.8 PPG. Things were looking up for Wembanyama on an individual level as well. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award on April 20, 2026.
By all means, he felt that the team had everything it needed to win the championship this time. When the team reached the finals, Victor Wembanyama showed up as the star he is. He averaged roughly 26 points in the series against the Knicks.
Unfortunately, certain mistakes from the team and his own end ultimately cost them the trophy, leaving the player extremely upset.
Victor Wembanyama was already the Defensive Player of the Year with a unanimous 100 votes in his name. He became the first unanimous winner in the award’s history.
He was confident heading into the playoffs and the finals. However, things started shaking from the very first match. The San Antonio Spurs lost game one 95-105. Wembanyama admitted that he wasn’t as good as he could be.
However, he hadn’t lost hope. “This is why I’m not worried. We’re going to be so much better. I’m going to be so much better,” he told the press after the loss, but game two would be no different.
Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points for the team along with nine rebounds. However, he missed a game-winning jumper, and a late turnover also allowed Jalen Brunson critical free-throw opportunities, which cost the Spurs the game.
Similarly, in game four, Wembanyama missed two crucial free throws with less than two minutes left on the clock. The Spurs let their 29-point lead slip by and surrendered the game to the Knicks.
In Game 5, the team had improved a lot. Wembanyama scored 19 points and had 14 rebounds. However, his shooting rate suffered at only 36.8% after he went 7-for-19.
“He sincerely believed that the Spurs were the better team, and it just didn’t go the way he wanted it to,” Michael C. Wright said on The Hoop Collective. Wright also explained how Victor Wembanyama learned that at a stage as high as the finals, all it takes is one mistake.
Now, fans wait eagerly for his take on the finals loss. Perhaps an interview with 60 Minutes is long overdue for the French star.