Some of Victor Wembanyama’s actions during the NBA Finals proved to be a major point of contention.
One former NBA champion has now blasted the San Antonio Spurs superstar for the way he continues to be protected no matter how he behaves on and off the court.
Nick Young Blasts Victor Wembanyama After NBA Finals Controversies
During the NBA Finals, Wembanyama divided opinion, as some of his plays were deemed excessively physical and reckless by his critics. After losing in the NBA Finals in Game 5, he walked off the court without shaking the hands of the New York Knicks’ players, attracting further criticism. However, there were plenty of people who came to his defense as well.
Nick Young, who won an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2018, went on a rant about Wembanyama on “Gil’s Arena.” He called out the 22-year-old for his behavior during the NBA Finals and argued that he is overly protected by the league and media.
“Soft baby. He’s a protected baby,” Young said. “Everybody’s protecting him because he didn’t f***ing shake hands. We all making excuses for this s**t. He’s a crybaby. He’s got more responsibility than everybody in the league, according to some people.”
Young went on to criticize Wembanyama’s response to the Spurs’ losses and called him out for his on-court physicality.
“He hasn’t taken losing well at all. He’s out there tryin to hurt motherf***ers, pushing people, elbowing people, whining like s**t… People are protecting him too much, bro,” he added.
Swaggy & Skip BLAST Wemby for his Finals performance 😳 pic.twitter.com/QmrcaN7I4k
— Gil’s Arena (@GilsArenaShow) June 15, 2026
Wembanyama was at the center of controversy on several occasions during the 2026 NBA Playoffs. He was ejected after elbowing Minnesota Timberwolves big man Naz Reid during the Western Conference semifinals, but avoided a suspension. He then picked up a flagrant foul during Game 4 of the NBA Finals after an elbow to Karl-Anthony Towns, which left him one point away from an automatic suspension.
In Game 3, the 7-foot-4 center got away with shoving Jalen Brunson, with the league choosing not to upgrade the play to a flagrant. In Game 5, there was a dangerous play in which Wembanyama landed under Brunson while he was shooting a 3-pointer, sparking further debate about his style of play.
Wembanyama endured a difficult first trip to the NBA Finals, facing constant jeers and abuse from Knicks fans throughout the series, at one point even having eggs thrown at him while at the team’s hotel.
Despite the controversies, the NBA’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year averaged 26.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, 2.6 assists, and 1.0 steals per game during the NBA Finals, but it wasn’t enough to lead the Spurs past the Knicks.
