Victor Wembanyama is known for many things.
He’s the next face of the league. He’s an “alien.” He’s a 7-foot-4 sensation who can make 3-pointers.
But he may have just added to his lore.
His newest act?
Knicks villain.
He played spoiler on a night when Knicks fans paid over $11,000 to get into Madison Square Garden. He ruined the team’s first Finals game on home soil in 27 years. He sent President Donald Trump, Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee and Ben Stiller home disappointed.
Right now, Wembanyama is New Yorkers’ No. 1 enemy.
Wembanyama led the Spurs to a 115-111 win Monday in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, dealing a blow to the most populated city in America with 8.4 million residents who were foaming at the mouth to celebrate being one win away from their first championship since 1973.
Not so fast.
Wembanyama had 32 points on 11-for-18 shooting from the field, 2-for-4 from deep, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocked shots to put the series at 2-1.
In a tight fourth quarter in which the Knicks cut the Spurs’ eight-point lead to 113-111 with 9.4 seconds left, Wembanyama was the best player on the court. He had 10 points. He had a blocked shot. He was aggressive on the defensive end, helping hold the Knicks to 3-for-10 shooting in the paint over that period.
It was nightmarish for New Yorkers, who are used to Jalen Brunson playing the hero in those types of tight situations.
Wembanyama not only played spoiler, but earlier in the game he shoved the King of New York, firmly embracing the villain moniker.
With under five minutes left in the first quarter, Wembanyama pushed the back of Brunson’s neck. The Knicks star fell onto his hands. Richard Jefferson said on the ABC broadcast that he should’ve been assessed a flagrant 1 foul.
But there was no whistle on the play.
Knicks fans weren’t pleased. In the second quarter, a “F–k you, Wemby” chant erupted as Karl-Anthony Towns shot free throws. Knicks fans also took to X to voice their displeasure. One Knicks fan wrote, “Wembanyama is turning into a punk.” Another added, “All my homies hate Victor Wembanyama.”
Welcome to a very elite club, Wemby.
Trae Young is its president. To this day, fans chant “F–k you, Trae Young” following games after he tormented them during the first round of the 2021 playoffs, including shushing the crowd after he hit a game-winning shot in Game 1 and then taking a theatrical bow after clinching the series in Game 5.
Tyrese Haliburton also recently joined the club when he wore a hoodie featuring Reggie Miller’s 1994 “choke” gesture after eliminating the Knicks in Game 7 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals.
Miller and Michael Jordan were also proud card-carrying members of that club during their battles against the Knicks in the 1990s.
When Wembanyama was asked if he’s now a Knicks villain, he flashed a smile.
“I guess,” he said. “I’m nowhere near Trae Young level, though.”
For Wembanyama, this is an honor. It means he’s doing something right.
We all knew this type of performance was coming for him.
There was a change in Wembanyama after Game 2 when he threw the ball off Stephon Castle’s back with the score tied at 104-104 and 9.5 seconds left, leading to a 105-104 loss. Wembanyama took responsibility for that blunder. He blamed himself for the loss.
Wembanyama spent the next few days trying to reset. He went to Gramercy Park in Manhattan to sketch a statue. After the Spurs fell into a 2-0 hole, legendary coach Gregg Popovich advised the team to forget the last two games. Wemy took those words to heart.
In Game 3, Wembanyama was a different player.
He went from waiting for the game to come to him to playing with a sense of urgency from the moment the ball was tipped. He was physical. He was him.
And he did it in New York, under the brightest of lights, under the most crushing pressure.
“At home it really feels like playing six against five,” Wembanyama said. “Here it feels like five against six. … It really shows what teams are made of.”
Now Wembanyama is currently the most hated man in New York.
And there’s nothing that could make him happier.
