Victor Wembanyama Sends Message of Respect for Knicks Before NBA Finals

The San Antonio Spurs, led by superstar center Victor Wembanyama, are set for an NBA Finals matchup against the New York Knicks.

Wembanyama spoke with reporters at NBA Finals media day on Tuesday, answering questions about the Spurs’ upcoming matchup against the red-hot Knicks. In his response, the 7-foot-4 Frenchman delivered a strong message of respect for his championship opponent.

“It’s a great team of experienced guys who are not here by chance, but by relentless effort over the years,” Wembanyama said. “They’re right where they are supposed to be, in my opinion. All of them are going to be super hungry in their own way.”

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The Knicks enter the NBA Finals on an 11-game win streak, taking down their playoff opponents by dominant margins. Led by Eastern Conference Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, New York notched a series sweep over the Cleveland Cavaliers to secure the franchise’s first NBA Finals trip since 1999.

Wembanyama and the Spurs just finished up a seven-game series against the reigning-champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. Now that that taxing conference championship series is over, San Antonio turns its full attention toward the Knicks.

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Wembanyama earned unanimous Western Conference Finals MVP honors, averaging 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game against the Thunder.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals will tipoff at 8:30 p.m. ET from San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center on Wednesday.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 2:39 PM.