San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has answered most of his critics’ questions during his first playoff run. With Wembanyama on the doorstep of helping the Spurs reach the Western Conference Finals, some NBA analysts have admitted that he isn’t the future; he has already arrived.
However, an NBA champion believes another All-Star big man could delay Wembanyama’s ascension.
NBA Champion Names Tough Opponent For Victor Wembanyama
NBA champion Kendrick Perkins believes New York Knicks star big man Karl-Anthony Towns is a potential matchup nightmare for Wembanyama.
Perkins provided the take on the “Road Trippin Show,” saying “It’s only one big in today’s game that I feel like could cause a little problem, some problems for Wemby, and that’s Karl-Anthony Towns. Because of that offense, the way that they’re running it, he absolutely would drag Wemby from outside that paint, it would be hell in hot water.”
Kendrick Perkins says Karl-Anthony Towns is the only big in the league that can give Wemby problems:
“Because of that offense, the way they’re running it he would absolutely drag Wemby big a** from outside that paint and now the way their cutting and doing that Golden State sh*t… https://t.co/eFuMFY9JNH pic.twitter.com/o7kyJr9GwJ
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) May 15, 2026
Perkins has strong confidence in Towns, the six-time All-Star, who is already considered one of the NBA’s greatest shooting big men at age 30. The 2022-23 3-Point-Contest winner, Towns has been solid for the Knicks during the postseason, averaging 17.4 points and 10 rebounds per game, while shooting 58.7% from the field and 48.3% from three.
He’s also been a surprising playmaker this postseason, averaging 6.6 assists per game. However, many Knicks fans believe Towns will need to raise his level for the team to reach the NBA Finals and win a championship.
The diverse offensive skill set Towns has shown during the playoffs is why Perkins believes he could cause Wembanyama major problems if they meet in the NBA Finals. The Knicks have already caused problems for Wembanyama this season.
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He had a better outing against the Knicks on New Year’s Eve, finishing with 31 points and 13 rebounds in a 134-132 Spurs win. However, the inconsistency continued this past March, as Wembanyama had one of his worst games of the season, finishing with seven turnovers and a -15 plus/minus rating in a 114-89 loss to the Knicks.
As Perkins notes, Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown has overhauled the team’s offense after taking over from Tom Thibodeau. There’s more emphasis on ball movement, three-pointers, and playing with pace. The Knicks also have one of the league’s top isolation scores in All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks can put a lot of pressure on Wembanyama and reduce the Defensive Player of the Year’s impact. Perhaps Perkins may have revealed his hope for a Knicks vs Spurs Finals to see if Wembanyama can stop the Knicks’ offense.
