Victor Wembanyama walked into Fanatics Fest in New York City this weekend expecting cheers. He got them. He also got the ribbing that comes with losing a Finals series to the local team.
“Knicks in five,” some fans shouted from the crowd after Wembanyama was introduced on stage. Video of the moment went viral. Wembanyama either didn’t hear it or chose not to care. Either way, he did not flinch.
That’s the New York fan experience. Win a title, get to remind Wemby about it. Even if the reminder is a joke.
The Knicks Actually Ended the Drought
New York finally broke through last season and knocked off the Spurs to win their first NBA championship since 1973. Fifty-plus years of frustration ended with Jalen Brunson raising the trophy. The city is still riding the high. It will keep riding it into next season.
Fanatics Fest is the perfect trolling environment. It’s a sports memorabilia and fan event in New York, packed with Knicks fans who have not stopped celebrating. Handing Wembanyama a microphone in that room was going to end this way.
Wemby’s Season Was Still Elite
Losing the Finals does not erase what Wembanyama did last year. Twenty-five points per game on 51.2% shooting. 11.5 rebounds. 3.1 blocks. 3.1 assists. Defensive Player of the Year. In 65 games. At 22 years old.
He’s the best young player in the league. Period. The Knicks won because they had five players who fit their style, a veteran coach in Tom Thibodeau who knew exactly how to attack the Spurs’ defense, and Brunson doing Brunson things. Wembanyama did his part. San Antonio’s supporting cast could not match New York’s.
The Rematch Is Coming
Wembanyama has time. He’s 22. He has a chance to win multiple titles across the next 12 to 15 years. The Spurs are still figuring out their guard rotation and their offensive identity. They have the pieces. They just need reps.
Meanwhile, the Knicks have to defend a championship. That’s the harder job. New York has to reload without losing chemistry. Every star from OG Anunoby to Karl-Anthony Towns to Brunson has to come back locked in.
Wembanyama laughing off the trolling shows a level of comfort. Two years ago he might have looked bothered. Now he’s got NBA scars. He knows how this league works.
The next time the Spurs and Knicks meet in the postseason, the crowd noise will get louder. So might Wembanyama. Nobody in the NBA doubts he’s coming back with a chip on his shoulder. He just doesn’t need to yell about it.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
