Victor Wembanyama is already looking forward to next season after the San Antonio Spurs’ defeat in the 2026 NBA Finals.
The Spurs lost 94-90 at home in Game 5 as the New York Knicks were crowned NBA champions for the first time in 63 years.
Wembanyama only scored 19 points in Game 5, whereas Jalen Brunson’s 45 carried the Knicks to a famous victory.
The Frenchman has admitted to learning from Brunson during the series and wants to put it into practice this offseason.
What Victor Wembanyama learned from watching Jalen Brunson up close
Victor Wembanyama averaged 26 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game in the NBA Finals.
Nobody can say the 22-year-old ‘choked’ on the biggest stage, but he probably fell short of his own enormous expectations.
Given that many consider him the best player in the world, he should not have been outperformed by Jalen Brunson (32.6 PPG).
However, Wembanyama has youth on his side, with many more seasons to learn from his mistakes and win championships.
Following the Spurs’ Finals defeat, he revealed what he wants to take from Brunson’s game as he heads into next season.
“I’m going to work even harder, obviously, to be even more durable and, above all, to keep a fresh mind and maintain control of the game at all times,” Wembanyama said.
“That’s what really stands out about Jalen Brunson, for example. There are too many moments—and it doesn’t come from bad intentions—where I’m passive.
“I don’t have the control over the game that I’d like to have, and it ends up costing us.”
Wembanyama proved fairly emotional during the Spurs’ playoff run, which occasionally led to costly mistakes.
It would be wise to emulate Brunson, who maintains exceptional composure whether things are going well or poorly from an individual or team perspective.
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