Victor Wembanyama participated in the San Antonio Spurs’ NBA Cup Final against the New York Knicks while dealing with a heartbreaking personal tragedy.
The former No. 1 pick appeared in a limited role, coming off the bench to play 25 minutes behind starter Luke Kornet. San Antonio’s big man finished with 18 points, six rebounds, two blocks, an assist, and one steal in his team’s losing effort.
Rookie Dylan Harper scored 21 points off the bench to lead the Spurs, with starter Stephon Castle adding 15 points and dishing out a game-high 12 assists. However, the New York Knicks captured a 124-113 victory in Las Vegas for their first NBA Cup.
OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 28 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, while Jalen Brunson contributed 25 points and eight assists in the Knicks' win.
Following the game, Wembanyama briefly appeared for his media session and became emotional after answering a question in French.
The Spurs star apologized, saying he had lost someone close to him, and it was clearly weighing on him as he teared up. He then indicated he would answer just one more question before leaving his postgame media session.
ESPN reported via a source that Wembanyama’s grandmother died on Tuesday in France. An online post showed the Spurs’ big man smiling next to his grandmother at a game.
Wembanyama also spoke about his team’s experience playing in the NBA Cup and reaching the final against the Knicks.
“I guess it is the best practice for important games because of course our focus is already on the playoffs and that’s the biggest time,” he said, adding, “The playoffs are going to be the biggest time of the year. So, I guess it’s good that we got this experience, too.”
The Spurs were riding an emotional high of scoring a significant win in the semifinal against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team many are already proclaiming to be repeat NBA Champions.
As it stands, OKC has a record of 24-2, while San Antonio is 18-7 and looks like a legitimate threat should they make the Western Conference playoffs.
The Spurs return home looking to bounce back from their NBA Cup final loss with a Thursday night matchup against the Washington Wizards.
Newsweek