Spurs star Victor Wembanyama sparked outrage when he ducked the media following a Game 5 loss to the Thunder. While Victor has been the Spurs’ hero of the playoffs so far, that game was his worst performance in months, and arguably one of the worst of his career, with a statline of 20 points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, and three blocks on 26.7% shooting from the field (0-5 from three).
Despite Victor’s shooting woes, NBA legend Chris Paul says that he fully expects the superstar to make amends. Ahead of Game 6, he spoke on the Pat McAfee show, where he offered some critical insight into his former Spurs teammate.
“This league now is all about analytics, so there are people within the team who are showing you and telling you this,” said Paul on Victor being tired during this playoff run. “The other thing that players know is that you’re training for this. Even as the regular season ends and through the playoffs, you’re training for these moments. So, I know Vic. Vic is so calculated, he’s training, but it’s hard. It’s your first playoff run. You’re not gonna play your best every single game. But, I’m not worried about him being tired or anything; it just might’ve been a tough game.”
Behind Wembanyama’s excellence, the Spurs cruised through the first two rounds of the playoffs, but they appear to have finally met their match. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, the Thunder have kept the Spurs at bay so far, but the job is not done yet. At home for Game 6, the Spurs have one last chance to extend the series, and it relies on Victor’s leadership/impact on the floor.
As teammates for a single season (2024-25), Chris didn’t play long with Wembanyama, but it was enough to know he’d show up big in this game. As much as any other teammate, he saw Victor’s growth and development firsthand and experienced his leadership qualities. So when he said he wasn’t worried about the superstar’s current trajectory, it came with full confidence.
Just as Chris predicted, Victor came out firing to open Game 6, putting up 11 points, five rebounds, one steal, and one block in the first quarter alone. He finished with a game-high 28 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocks on 47.6% shooting and 44.4% shooting from three. It was a clear statement of resistance from Wembanyama, who won’t let the Spurs go down without a fight. On the brink of elimination, Victor is taking their fate into his own hands, just like he’s been training for.
Along the way, the star big man will continue to be tested and pushed to his limits. Besides ferocious defense on the court, he has to face ceaseless questions from the media while hearing endless gripes from the fans. After skipping the post-game press conference on Tuesday, he even received a warning from the NBA itself.
Nevertheless, with his team down 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals, Victor was poised to respond tonight, and that’s exactly what he did to force a decisive Game 7. Even with the odds stacked against him, Wemby is fighting like the series is up for grabs, and it’s a testament to his ultra-competitive, never-quit mentality.
