Victor Wembanyama snubs the press and the NBA sends him a serious warning
The Frenchman, singled out after the defeat against Oklahoma City: he played one of his worst playoff games and avoided talking to the media.
The NBA has warned Victor Wembanyama for violating the access rules to the media after he failed to appear before the press following San Antonio Spurs' defeat in the fifth game of the Western Conference Finals.
The Spurs fell 127-114 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a result that puts the Texas franchise in a tough spot with a 3-2 deficit in the series. However, beyond the score, all attention turned to Wembanyama. Approximately an hour after coach Mitch Johnson analyzed the loss, a team spokesperson announced that the French center would not speak to the journalists.
The young talent's performance did not help ease the tension either. Wembanyama finished with 20 points but shot a poor 4 for 15 from the field. Furthermore, he only grabbed one rebound in the entire first half, matching his worst rebounding record in a half during these playoffs. Oklahoma City also found significant offensive opportunities with him on the court, shooting an impressive 49%, the highest percentage allowed by the Frenchman in this postseason.
After the game, Mitch Johnson publicly acknowledged that the team needs much more from their star to avoid elimination in the sixth game scheduled for this Thursday.
The NBA Does Not Tolerate These Acts
The NBA has previously penalized players who avoided appearing before the media during the playoffs. In 2023, Jimmy Butler and Dillon Brooks were fined $25,000 each for similar situations.
The controversy is even more striking because Wembanyama was awarded the Magic Johnson Award for the 2025-26 season in April, an honor given by the Professional Basketball Writers Association to the player who best combines athletic performance with the relationship and cooperation with media and fans.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Victor Wembanyama se fumó a la prensa y la NBA le manda un serio aviso
