Victor Wembanyama enjoyed heavy support when the San Antonio Spurs made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. After a dominant 2025-26 regular season that saw the Spurs return to the playoffs after seven years, Wembanyama’s image took a hit during the postseason due to his on-court behavior.
However, 2017 NBA champion Matt Barnes defended the Frenchman, affirming his faith in Wembanyama’s superstar status.
Why Matt Barnes Is Defending Victor Wembanyama’s Postseason Play
By Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks, Wembanyama had three flagrant foul points in the postseason and was close to an automatic one-game suspension.
However, the Knicks clinched the championship in Game 5, ending the series and the immediate conversation surrounding Wembanyama’s disciplinary status
Nonetheless, Wembanyama’s overly aggressive demeanor on the court did not go unnoticed, with prominent voices weighing in on his postseason antics.
However, Barnes defended the Spurs’ star against the “dirty player” label and said Wembanyama’s aggression was not one-sided.
“People were taking a lot of cheap shots at him this year,” Barnes said on the “All The Smoke” podcast. “If you’re going to take a cheap shot at me, I’m going to elbow you in your [expletive] face, and I’m going to mush (Jalen) Brunson. I want that for my superstar.”
Matt Barnes defends Victor Wembanyama against those who label him a dirty player:
“People were taking a lot of cheap shots at him this year… If you’re going to take a cheap shot at me, I’m going to elbow you in your f***ing face and I’m going to mush Brunson. I want that for my… pic.twitter.com/prdjL8Xrrp
— Polymarket Hoops (@PolymarketHoops) June 17, 2026
One such heavily criticized, controversial incident occurred during Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
While fighting for an offensive rebound, Wembanyama spun between defenders and inadvertently struck Naz Reid in the jaw with his elbow, resulting in an ejection.
During Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Wembanyama shoved Brunson on a play that some believed warranted a retroactive flagrant foul review, but the league ultimately decided against further punishment.
Controversy followed Wembanyama again in Game 4 of the Finals. While defending Karl-Anthony Towns, he elbowed the Knicks star in the chin and was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul.
During the same game, Wembanyama was also involved in an awkward collision with OG Anunoby after lunging toward him and landing on the latter’s leg.
The Anunoby incident sparked criticism from several figures around the league, including Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green.
“Victor Wembanyama is a great player,” Green said. “He’s a European player. I’ve been on record saying European players are dirty… I will mess you up. Victor Wembanyama is a European player. They are a bit dirty… I don’t know that he was trying to take him out, but I know Europeans do things a little differently on their basketball court.”
Another disputed moment occurred in Game 5, when Wembanyama escaped a foul call after appearing to commit a landing-zone violation on a Brunson three-point attempt, with many believing the play warranted a flagrant foul.
Whether Wembanyama’s style of play should be considered dirty remains a matter of opinion.
While his critics viewed his elbows and shoves as signs of frustration when matched against tough defenders, some also suggested it was a young San Antonio star adapting to the physical demands and scrutiny of the playoffs.
