Victor Wembanyama Accepts New York ‘Villain’ Role After Dominant Game 3 Win

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs earned a 115-111 win on the road against the Knicks.

Victor Wembanyama Accepts New York ‘Villain’ Role After Dominant Game 3 Win

Victor Wembanyama (Image credits - Firstsportz)

Victor Wembanyama came up big and delivered when it mattered the most for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. After losing the first two games at home, the Spurs entered Game 3 with immense pressure.

Just like Games 1 and 2, Game 3 was a thrilling contest between two top sides. In the end, the Spurs registered a closely fought 115-111 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

During the game, Wembanyama appeared to have shoved Jalen Brunson. The shoving did not go down well with the Knicks crowd in the arena, who directed an explicit chant at the Spurs center. While speaking to the media, Wembanyama was asked by a reporter if being New York’s new villain was the ultimate compliment.

I guess. I’m nowhere near Trae Young level though.

Victor Wembanyama in his post match press conference

The reactions from the Knicks fans were as expected. Known for being a passionate fanbase, they were heard chanting “We want Wemby” after winning just Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The chants directed at Victor Wembanyama saw him turn into a villain in the eyes of the Knicks fans. However, Wembanyama did not seem too bothered by it and believes he is not a villain like Trae Young. It is no secret that Young and the Knicks fanbase have no love lost between them, and even Wembanyama knows he is the most hated player in New York.

The French star is arguably the best player in the NBA today and is expected to dominate the league for years to come. After going down 2-0 in the series, it was just the game that the Spurs were looking for from Wembanyama on Monday night.

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Jalen Brunson on Victor Wembanyama shoving him

The incident took place early in the match during the first quarter. As Jalen Brunson and Victor Wembanyama made contact, the big man placed both his hands on Brunson’s back and pushed him. The Knicks guard stumbled onto the floor and was unhappy about it, immediately confronting Wembanyama.

After the game, Brunson was asked what happened between the two and if he was bothered by the physicality.

No (on the physicality bothering him). Whatever you saw is what you saw.

Jalen Brunson in his post match press conference

If Wembanyama keeps this up, he may be perceived as a villain in the eyes of the New Yorkers. The officials did not hand out any technical or flagrant fouls to the Frenchman, which sparked a reaction from the Knicks bench and crowd. Wembanyama can expect some boos and chants directed at him in Game 4.

Victor Wembanyama stepped up in Game 3

While Victor Wembanyama posted decent numbers in Games 1 and 2, he was not at his best in both games and took accountability for the losses. The 7’4″ center was a huge presence on both ends of the court in Game 3.

Wembanyama had his first career 30-point game in the NBA Finals as he recorded 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, and three blocks in 39 minutes. It was an all-round performance from the Western Conference Finals MVP.

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs won Game 3
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs won Game 3 (Image via Spurs/X)

He was efficient from the field as well, something he had struggled with in the first two games of the series. He shot at 61% from the field and made two out of his four three-pointer attempts. He committed just one turnover in the entire game.

The 22-year-old was aggressive from the start of the game and never took his foot off the gas. He was well supported by his teammates as all five starters scored double-digit points, with Stephon Castle adding 23 to the total. The Spurs will be hoping that their star player continues to build on his Game 3 performance.

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