San Antonio ultimately lost the series to the New York Knicks in five games.Wembanyama earned several individual honors, including his first Defensive Player of the Year award and All-NBA selection.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.
If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.The French-born Spurs forward opened the 2026-27 season under enormous expectations.
The 7-foot-4 star was a preseason favorite to win the NBA MVP award, while San Antonio entered the season as an odds-on favorite to win the championship.The postseason also marked a notable shift in how the public viewed Wembanyama.Once a widely beloved sports figure, he was increasingly cast by some as a villain.Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City.
(Al Bello/Getty Images)SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY OUTKICK NEWSLETTERA series of on-court incidents fueled claims that Wembanyama had become a "dirty" player.One of those situations surfaced in the Western Conference semifinals, when his elbow made contact with then-Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid.During the Finals, many Knicks fans grew furious at times over Wembanyama’s defense against Jalen Brunson.Once viewed as a conquering hero, Wembanyama was quickly cast as a New York sports villain.
But he insisted the criticism does not faze him."No, it didn't because I'm not paying attention to this ...during the Finals.
I don't think any player on either team really is," Wembanyama told "60 Minutes" when asked about his portrayal as a villain in a clip released Thursday ahead of Sunday’s full sit-down interview.THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE.DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama looks on duri...