Victor Wembanyama spoke after San Antonio Spurs' victory over New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The French star discussed the hostile atmosphere at Madison Square Garden, his complete confidence in De'Aaron Fox, the maturity of Stephon Castle, and the mental clarity he found after a frustrating Game 2. The Spurs cut the series to 2-1, with Wembanyama emphasizing that the win came through communication, physical resilience, and team unity.
Q. You obviously made the Knicks fans pretty nervous during the game. There was quite a colorful chant directed at you. It seems like maybe you're New York's new villain. Is that the ultimate compliment?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I suppose. Though I'm nowhere near Trae Young's level [smiles].
Q. Yesterday, Luke told me he likes playing in playoff environments on the road, especially the difficult ones, because adversity brings a team together. Did you feel your team came together tonight against a vibrant Madison Square Garden?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: Yes. At home it really feels like playing six-on-five. Here it feels like playing five-on-six [smiles].
I agree with Luke. It really shows what teams are made of.
Q. Even on nights when De'Aaron isn't shooting his best, he still finds ways to impact you. How would you describe your confidence in him down the stretch?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I mean, confidence isn't even a question. That's his identity. So the confidence is total. We know he's reliable, as reliable as you can be. He has experience with that.
So he brings everything we need.
Q. You've had three close fourth quarters. What do you think was the biggest difference in actually getting the win today? Do you feel it was something more physical, mental, execution, or all of it together?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I'd say a bit of everything. But I think the most important thing was communication.
Q. In what sense?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: Knowing our coverages. Knowing our defensive sets, knowing our offensive plays. Being there early and letting our teammates know what to do if we see things.
Q. You said after the last game that things weren't clear. Tonight it seemed like you played with a lot of clarity. What have you done these last few days in New York to try to clear your mind? How did that help you tonight?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I really tried to relax. The playoffs are like a… I don't know how you say that word… a whirlwind. It's hard to get your head above water. Sometimes I don't even need to rewatch the game immediately. I need some downtime, let my brain cool down, recover. Recover both for the body and the mind.
Q. Over the summer you worked with KG, Hakeem, and also with some monks. What did you learn in particular that's helped you in the playoffs, especially with this pressure being down?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I remember running lap after lap during the summer, and my hamstrings were burning. But I kept pushing because I was trying to push my limit further. In the playoffs I've felt my hamstrings burning from all the running, sometimes playing 25 straight minutes of game time.
So the physical aspect is really what makes the difference.
Q. Can you tell us what you drew? Was it a video of you drawing in the park? Was it real?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: I didn't see it. I drew the statue in that park. I don't know the name of the park.
Q. Was the drawing good?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: It wasn't bad. Pretty good [smiles].
Q. Going back to what was the difference down the stretch, Steph Castle comes through with the big three-pointer, the free throws. What did you think of his role there? And the scene of his free throws with the crowd going crazy?
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA: Steph's role? He might be the most mature player on our team. And he's nowhere near being the most veteran. He's played big games before. He's played big games before the NBA. This doesn't surprise me. He's proven time and again that he's capable and that we're right to put our trust in him.
At the end I didn't even really hear the crowd. I was focused on trying to grab the rebound in case he missed. But that turned out to be pointless.