Victor Wembanyama believes 'mental toughness' makes Spurs a different breed vs. Thunder
Victor Wembanyama stood hands on hips, eyes drifting from the quiet crowd to the Spurs bench inside Paycom Center . Time almost froze around him for a brief moment. Just hours after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hoisted his second consecutive NBA MVP trophy in front of 18,203 fans, the spotlight quickly shifted toward the league’s towering French phenom.
And for good reason. Wembanyama delivered a performance fit for NBA lore, powering the Spurs to a 122-115 double-overtime win over the Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals . In just his 10th career playoff game, Wembanyama erupted for 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists and three blocks across 49 minutes.
It was the kind of performance that sparks debates of who owns the crown for best player in the world. “Do I feel like it right now? I feel tired,” Wembanyama said after being asked whether he believes he’s the league’s best player.
“But it’s not a question I’m wondering right now. We’ll see. The world is eight billion people, so it’s eight billion opinions.
” More: Chet Holmgren has a Spurs problem. Can Thunder solve it in Game 2? The 22-year-old became just the fourth player in NBA history to post at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a conference finals game alongside Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Moses Malone.