Victor Wembanyama being a goon would be quite the NBA plot twist
Victor Wembanyama being a goon would be quite the NBA plot twist
Prince J. Grimes, For The Win Wed, May 27, 2026 at 4:27 PM UTC
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There was a moment at the end of Tuesday's Game 5 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs when Victor Wembanyama whispered something to his teammates entering the game for garbage time.
Nobody knows what was said between Wembanyama and the other two big men, Mason Plumlee and Bismack Biyombo. But we all know what took place over the next couple minutes, as those two took a couple hard fouls on Jaren McCain -- and let him know there was more pain on the way.
And so the speculation began: did Wembanyama instruct them to put McCain down, after the former Duke guard poured in 20 points to help OKC down the Spurs?
We may never know the answer. That people even think Wembanyama possible of such a command, though, says a lot about how perception of the 7-foot-4 superstar has evolved this postseason.
Wemby is on goon watch.
That isn't to say Wembanyama is absolutely a goon. Or that there is even anything wrong with goonery in basketball. I happen to think goons played a valuable role before they were essentially eliminated from the sport by position-less basketball's ushering in of skilled players at every size.
Goons are supposed to protect a team's best player, and do the dirty work the best players can't do. But if that player doesn't exist, who does the work fall to? As the Spurs advance and pressure mounts for them capitalize on the opportunity ahead of them, evidence is mounting that Wembanyama might be taking matters into his own hands... or elbows, if you ask Naz Reid.
Of course, this could all be overblown. Maybe Wembanyama didn't put the bounty on McCain. Maybe that elbow was simply a competitive 22-year-old still learning to deal with high-intensity emotions.
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Wembanyama could have addressed this had he not skipped his post-game media requirements last night.
Then again, maybe he didn't want to. Maybe Wemby does have some goon in him. Maybe we should've seen the signs when he stood toe-to-toe with the league's foremost goon today, Draymond Green, earlier in the season. Or when he took a not-so-subtle shot at OKC's unethical basketball. Or when he imposed his will on NBA all-stars.
I don't know the answer. But if Wembanyama is a goon, the Spurs should probably find a bigger goon to keep him from doing the dirty work going forward. He's too valuable to play that role.
Golden Knights sweep the Avalanche
The Golden Knights are cruising.
The Vegas Golden Knights completed their sweep of the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, winning Game 4 by a score 2-1 behind goals by Mark Stone and Cole Smith. The win sends Vegas to its third Stanley Cup Final in nine years since joining the NHL.
If Vegas' run through the West after a mediocre regular season isn't surprising, the dominant fashion in which they beat the Presidents' Trophy winner is. Colorado had lost just one game all postseason before running into the Vegas buzzsaw.
Now, the Knights will kick back and await the winner between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes.
Quick hits: Mahomes vs. Kelce ... Pochettino makes cuts ... and more -
Patrick Mahomes had the perfect reaction to Travis Kelce becoming an MLB division rival with his minority ownership stake in the Guardians.
Mauricio Pochettino reportedly cut players from the USMNT World Cup roster in the coldest (derogatory) way possible.
If LeBron James decides to play another season, don't expect the 41-year-old to accept a cheap contract to do so.
Timothée Chalamet finally got his Knicks moment during their sweep of the Cavs... then was rewarded a rare celebrity golden ticket.
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This article originally appeared on For The Win: Victor Wembanyama is on goon watch as fans question Jared McCain fouls
Source: “AOL Sports”
