After receiving a flagrant 1 in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals vs. the Knicks, Victor Wembanyama said he will be a bit more careful to avoid a suspension, but that his overall style of play won't change much.
Victor Wembanyama is now in danger of missing time for the San Antonio Spurs during the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks.
The French superstar was assessed a flagrant 1 in the third quarter of Game 4 after a controversial moment in the Spurs' 107-106 collapse against New York. He struck Karl-Anthony Towns on the chin with his right elbow during a defensive play.
With that ruling, Wembanyama now has three flagrant foul points in this postseason. One more would trigger an automatic one-game suspension.
After the game, Wemby was asked whether his approach would change given how close he is to a suspension in the Finals.
"Of course I'm gonna be a little more careful, but it's not gonna change much," he said.
What happened in Game 4?
The incident occurred at the 9:27 mark of the third quarter. While defending Towns during a Knicks possession, Wembanyama swung his right arm and caught him with an elbow to the face.
Towns stayed on the floor after the contact, and officials reviewed the play before upgrading it to a flagrant 1 foul.
This isn't Wembanyama's first disciplinary issue this postseason.
He previously received a flagrant 2 foul and an automatic suspension after a hard hit on Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid during Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals, though he ultimately avoided further league discipline.
He was also involved in a forceful shove of Jalen Brunson in Game 3 of the Finals that drew criticism but no additional penalty from the NBA.
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