Victor Wembanyama cried after a win over the Los Angeles Clippers last month and was emotional again after closing out the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. When asked about it on Wednesday, he did not apologize.
Victor Wembanyama cried after a comeback win over the Clippers last month. He was visibly emotional on the bench Tuesday night after the Spurs closed out Portland in five games. When a French reporter from L'Equipe asked him on Wednesday about fans who have criticized or mocked him for showing tears, his answer was direct.
"Personally, I refuse to carry the burden of having to hide my emotions," Wembanyama said.
That combination of emotional honesty and competitive hunger tells you something important about where Wembanyama is as a player and a person heading into the second round.
The last Spurs team to win a championship in 2014 was defined by a collective emotional investment that made them one of the most celebrated teams in NBA history. Tim Duncan cried after winning titles.
Manu Ginobili wore every moment on his face. Gregg Popovich built an entire culture around players who genuinely cared about each other and the game. Wembanyama is not trying to replicate that, but he is building something with a similar emotional foundation.
That trust showed against Portland. San Antonio won despite Wembanyama missing Game 3 with a concussion. They came back from 15 down at halftime in Game 4 in what became the first comeback of its kind in NBA playoff history. They closed it out Tuesday night without ever trailing. This team does not panic and their best player sets that tone every single night.
The Spurs ended a six-year playoff drought this spring, the longest in franchise history. They will face either the Denver Nuggets or Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals, with Minnesota leading that series 3-2 heading into Game 6 Thursday. San Antonio is the fresher team, the healthier team and playing some of the best basketball in the Western Conference right now.
The last Spurs title came 12 years ago. Wembanyama was 10 years old. He is not hiding how much this run means to him and that is not a weakness. For a franchise that built five championships on caring more than everyone else, it might be exactly what gets them back to the top.