Victor Wembanyama let his emotions pour out after the San Antonio Spurs’ hard-fought Game 7 Western Conference finals road win over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, the superstar big man’s reaction to securing the Spurs’ first NBA Finals berth since 2014 did not sit well with some, including Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett.
Victor Wembanyama Catches Flak From Kevin Garnett for Emotional Reaction to Spurs’ WCF Triumph
Many enjoyed seeing Wembanyama embrace the moment after reaching his first Finals in just his third season. Garnett, who linked up with the French phenom in the offseason, viewed the celebration differently, though.
On Tuesday’s episode of the “Ticket & The Truth” podcast, the NBA legend bluntly criticized Wembanyama’s emotional response.
“He’s got to go through some bullsh*t,” Garnett said. “He’s crying in the motherf**kin’ Western Conference finals. That was too emotional for me. Man, he got four more games to try to get. You’ve got to go through the Finals now. Nah, you’ve still gotta be even-keeled right here. And that [West] trophy, that ain’t what we’re [focused on.]
“That’s cool, yeah, we beat them, cool, but I got a whole nother sight, and it’s up here. It’s going to take my energy to run up this hill. … That’s how bad they wanted to beat OKC, you know what I’m saying? But man, this right here? Nah.”
Kevin Garnett calls out Victor Wembanyama for being ‘too emotional’ after winning the Western Conference Finals 👀 pic.twitter.com/mDGzSMOLLt
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 3, 2026
As Game 7 against OKC came to a close with San Antonio earning a 111-103 victory, Wembanyama was overwhelmed with emotion. He first embraced De’Aaron Fox and then Stephon Castle, visibly fighting back tears as he celebrated with his teammates.
Wembanyama was seen burying his face in his jersey and towels while processing the significance of the moment as the 22-year-old appeared to be realizing a lifelong dream.
Some felt Wembanyama’s reaction was justified considering the daunting challenge the Spurs had just overcome. They eliminated a Thunder squad that dominated the West throughout the regular season, finishing with the conference’s best record (64-18) for the third consecutive year. The Spurs entered the series as underdogs, but they battled back from a 3-2 deficit and needed a complete team effort to pull off the upset.
As for Wembanyama’s emotional side, he has always been unapologetic about wearing his heart on his sleeve, previously stating that he “refuses to carry the burden of having to hide” his emotions. Thus, Garnett’s comments are unlikely to change his approach.
Former NFL player Emmanuel Acho is among those who disagreed with Garnett’s perspective, coming to Wembanyama’s defense on the “Speakeasy” podcast.
“No issue with Wemby crying whatsoever,” Acho said. “We need to see more emotions in sports, especially from our superstars.”
Wembanyama has largely maintained his stellar regular-season production throughout the playoffs. As he believes he was put on the planet to chase greatness, the upcoming Finals contests against the New York Knicks will be another major test for him.
