Victor Wembanyama scored more points than any center in NBA history in their first playoff appearance.
And yet, the young superstar leaves the Finals with his reputation severely degraded.
His San Antonio Spurs lost in five games, which isn’t great but isn’t unheard of for a superstar. LeBron’s Cavaliers lost 4-1 and 4-0 in consecutive Finals.
The Spurs were not only on the losing side of the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history, but the New York Knicks also posted four double-digit comeback wins in the series. Not a great look for Wemby’s leadership, but he’s young and will have a chance to make up for that.
The real harm to the 22-year-old phenom is that the 2026 NBA Playoffs showed that, while he is arguably the most talented player in the league, he is very immature and doesn’t seem entirely capable of handling the pressure that comes with his status.
It might have been well-known in league circles, but the Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals solidified the notion, fairly or not, that Wemby plays dirty. His flagrant two against the Oklahoma City Thunder was overanalyzed because, to many, it seemed out of character. However, as the playoffs went on, it proved more normal than some pundits might have expected. When Wemby skipped a post-game media session and received a warning rather than a fine, some wondered whether he was benefiting from his status.
In the Finals, Wembanyama’s emotions and physicality got him in trouble several times (and probably should have been punished more). His cockiness backfired, and haters started coming out of the woodwork as the series progressed. His elbow across the face of Karl-Anthony Towns in Game 4 resulted in a Flagrant 1, pushing him to the brink of suspension. When he had several unnecessary physical plays in Game 5 that went uncalled, many people wondered once more whether he was still out there only because of who he is.
In the end, Wemby didn’t stick around to shake hands, and his Game 5 post-game presser ended with him telling reporters, “See y’all …. never,” as he stood up and walked away.
“Appreciate y’all. See y’all…never.”
— Wemby at the end of his post-game press conference.
(h/t @big_business_)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 14, 2026
There’s more to it, of course. Wembanyama did say that the failures of these Finals will fuel him and the Spurs. And there’s no doubt that they will fix the issues that cost them this series and be back. These moments don’t tell the entire story.
But these are the moments that people will remember. They tell a story that Wemby was complicit in telling. And perception is reality. Whatever Victor Wembanyama’s reputation was heading into the 2026 NBA Finals, it comes out very different. And the choice is his on how to repair it.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.