Shaquille O'Neal Has Clever Name for Victor Wembanyama After Spurs' Win

By now, everyone has seen or heard about Victor Wembanyama erupting for 41 points, 24 rebounds, and three blocks in the San Antonio Spurs‘ Game 1 win of the Western Conference Finals.

Wemby’s huge night helped the Spurs capture a double-overtime victory to get a 1-0 series lead over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. And many individuals were left stunned and amazed by what Wemby achieved, since only two other players in the league’s history had stat lines like his: Hakeem Olajuwon and Wilt Chamberlain.

It was a dominant performance by the league’s newest superstar, a 22-year-old who has reached these heights in just his third NBA season.

One player who also dominated during his time in the NBA was big man Shaquille O’Neal, who, like Hakeem and Wilt, is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. During ESPN’s “Inside the NBA,” Shaq shared his reaction to what Wemby accomplished on Monday evening.

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In the 2001 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, Shaq had a 44-point and 20-rebound game. That game went to one overtime, and unfortunately, Shaq was on the losing side, 107-101.

“Wemby played spectacular. I’m happy for him. He only shot two threes. He took advantage of the mismatch,” he said, admitting he was surprised by who OKC put on him for defense.

“He played with a lot of heart. He played with a lot of effort. They tried to be physical against him, but it didn’t matter. They knocked him down a few times, but he kept his poise. I like the way he played,” Shaq said.

He then gave him an American name, “Tim Robinson,” combining Spurs legends Tim Duncan and David Robinson to give the French star a fitting nickname. Robinson, aka “The Admiral,” accomplished amazing feats on the court, including becoming one of only four players in NBA history to record a quadruple-double.

He also achieved two championships in 1999 and 2003, both with his younger teammate Duncan. The former Wake Forest standout, Duncan, went on to win three more after Robinson’s retirement. He became known as the greatest power forward of all time and one of the NBA’s greatest players.

In just three seasons in the league, Wemby is already putting his name up there with both players. With a championship, which seems likely during Wemby’s NBA career, he could potentially surpass either player as the greatest Spurs player ever.

There is already talk that Wemby, should he continue on this trajectory, could surpass Michael Jordan or LeBron James as the greatest of all time. That is still a ways off, as is the discussion of him passing Duncan, as all of the above have won at least four championships during their careers.

Based on what he’s shown thus far and in last night’s gritty performance to take over that game and make a statement, it seems his career will also feature multiple NBA titles before it’s said and done.

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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 8:58 PM.