Victor Wembanyama spoke at San Antonio Spurs practice ahead of Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. The French star discussed how he clears his mind during the playoffs, the hostile atmosphere in New York, the need to attack the rim, and his evolution in reading defenses in real time. With the series tied 2-1 in favor of the Knicks, Wembanyama was clear: everything comes down to winning Game 4.
Q. We saw the photo of you drawing in the park. Is that more important in a place like New York than in other cities? What was on that itinerary to clear your mind between landing and the third game? What did you do to relax in the city?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I'm not going to tell you. It's not really New York City. It's simply the playoffs.
Q. Yesterday you made that comment about how when you play on the road, it feels like playing five against six, just like at home in the opposite sense. You said it smiling. Do you kind of like that? Is it fun for you to be in that scenario where there's an extra player against you?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: Oh, yes. Both scenarios are very exciting. That's why I like lively crowds, you know, active crowds, both at home—at home it's always active—and away.
At home it's extra motivation because you want to give the people who support you a good show. Away you want to do the opposite.
Q. I know you've heard for a couple of years that you have to fail in the playoffs before you can succeed. What you're trying to do is very unusual. Part of the equation is whether you can learn fast enough during the playoffs so you don't have to fail first, but succeed all the way through. What have you learned on this first Finals run that you can apply in real time to finish what you started here?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: We'll see. But my bet would be yes, that it's possible. What have we learned? I mean, many things during these playoffs. Many things. Protecting yourself with your hands and not with your chin. Hitting below the head, if you do it. Many other things. But above all, being relentless.
Q. You opened the game yesterday with a real flurry. Was it a particular point of emphasis for you to establish yourself more down low at the start of the game?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: Not yesterday more than any other game. But especially at the start of games, yes, you have to put pressure on the rim because it's the most efficient shot. Then we look for other options.
Q. This doesn't have much to do with basketball, but given your involvement with the San Antonio fan base, the Jackals and all that, what do you think about some of those fans who were attacked outside Madison Square Garden?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: They attacked fans?
Q. Yes.
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I didn't know that.
My opinion, of course, is that we can't forget that this is a game. We're simply playing a game out there. I'm totally in favor of passion, but respecting each other. It's unacceptable.
Q. You've worked tremendously during your career on your proprioception, on your awareness of where you are in space. You're able to do things like tapping the ball in the air to dunk it, things we don't see other players do. How have you built that over the years? How has it helped you when facing probably the toughest defense you've seen?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I think the key… let's say you have a young player you're trying to teach this to. The key would be to not always play to your strengths, especially during development. I received this advice a long time ago. Basically it said that as a kid, right now you're not working for the present. Right now, I, personally, am working for now. I don't even care about next season. We have to win Game 4.
When you're a kid, whether you're 10, 13, or 16 years old, you're working for the future. You're trying to develop your skill set. I would say, in summary, play to your weaknesses, not just your strengths.
Q. You've had three years watching teams try many different things to defend you. In what ways have you improved at dissecting what they're doing on the court in real time?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I think I've improved tremendously, tremendously in that, because watching video from previous years, sometimes I was just taking shots. Even today sometimes. Sometimes they go in.
But the efficiency, the intentionality, is much better now.
Q. In my opinion, you changed a lot in the third game. How do you maintain that momentum? I saw you going much more inside.
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: Yes, I said the goal is always to go inside. The best shot in the game is an alley-oop. The most efficient shot. But teams won't let you do that just like that.
What we've built with this team is that we have an identity that makes everyone dangerous. Sometimes that will pay off over the course of a season, over the course of a playoff series. We're going to get easy baskets, inside baskets like I did last night.