Victor Wembanyama is still feeling the effects of San Antonio’s devastating NBA Finals defeat to the New York Knicks.
The Spurs superstar opened up about the team’s championship loss during an appearance on CBS’ 60 Minutes on Sunday, revealing which moments from their playoff run have stayed with him.
San Antonio entered the 2026 NBA Finals as favourites but suffered a disappointing five-game series defeat, with one particular loss standing above the rest.
When asked to identify the toughest moments of his career, Wembanyama pointed to three games from the Spurs’ postseason campaign.
“I think there’s two. I think… there’s three,” Wembanyama said. “I would say Game 1 [of the Western Conference Finals] in OKC, Game 7 [WCF] in OKC, and Game 4 in New York.”
That Game 4 defeat saw San Antonio surrender a staggering 29-point lead at Madison Square Garden on June 10, eventually falling 107-106.
Asked why that particular loss remained so painful, Wembanyama didn’t hesitate.
“Because it’s the most intense heartbreak moment in my career,” he said.
The Knicks went on to secure their first NBA championship in 53 years with a 94-90 victory in Game 5 in San Antonio.
Wembanyama also addressed the criticism he received during the Finals, particularly following his controversial shove on Knicks guard Jalen Brunson in Game 3.
“Because I’m not paying attention to this during the Finals. And I don’t think any player on either team really is,” Wembanyama said when discussing his villain portrayal. “It showed my limits more than anything else going out there, you need to adplay basketball. You don’t need to be beating the s–t out of people, if you want to win at least.”
The 7-foot-4 Frenchman also reflected on his 2025 blood clot diagnosis, which prematurely ended his second NBA season and changed his perspective on life.
“It had a huge impact on this,” Wembanyama said when discussing his willingness to speak openly. “After that, life is so short, I don’t even want to waste it being somebody else. Simple as that.”
Despite last season’s disappointment, Wembanyama remains confident in his abilities and believes he deserves this year’s MVP award.
Through six games this season, he is averaging 28.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.2 blocks.
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