Victor Wembanyama had his first NBA Finals loss in his career, bowing down to the New York Knicks in five games. The loss stings for now, but Wembanyama remains one of the best players in the league, and many expect him to remain in the hunt for a championship in the coming years.
For him to be successful in his next tries, NBA legend and four-time champion Shaquille O’Neal offered him some advice after Wemby’s NBA Finals loss.
According to Shaq, Wembanyama, who stands at 7-foot-4, must develop a stronger body to be even more dominant inside the paint.
“I say this with respect about Wemby: As good as he is, he’s going to need to get stronger,” Shaq, who was a dominant 7-foot-1 center during his prime, said. “Because when you become a dominant big man, people are going to force. I don’t know what he’s going to do this summer, but he definitely needs to get in that weight room and get stronger.”
Victor Wembanyama Struggled In The Perimeter During the NBA Finals
Wembanyama played more on the perimeter than in the paint for most of the NBA Finals, as the Knicks and the Spurs, who played against them throughout this year’s playoffs, made it a point to push him outside the paint.
With such a game plan, Wembanyama struggled to keep himself inside, opting to play more on the perimeter and using straight-line drives to attack the paint.
In Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Wembanyama had 19 points, shooting 7 of 19 from the field, including 1 of 6 from the 3-point line
In the NBA Finals, Wembanyama shot 6.6 3-point attempts per game in five games. He only made 27.3% of his 3-point attempts. It was a far cry from his Western Conference Finals performance against the OKC Thunder, where he made 40% of his shots from deep.
Victor Wembanyama Thinks The NBA Finals Loss Is A Learning Experience
Victor Wembanyama opened up on how he perceives the NBA Finals loss to the Knicks. According to the 23-year-old Frenchman, the loss is a massive learning experience for his career as he vows to be an even better player next season.
“I’m going to work even harder, obviously, to be even more durable and, above all, to keep a fresh mind and maintain control of the game at all times,” Wembanyama said when asked by a French reporter after Game 5.
He felt that he played some passive moments throughout the NBA Finals, which he wants to improve on for next season.
“That’s what really stands out about Jalen Brunson, for example,” Wemby said. “There are too many moments—and it doesn’t come from bad intentions—but there are too many moments where I’m passive, where I don’t have the control over the game that I’d like to have, and it ends up costing us.
“As I said, this is the biggest lesson of my life. As a team, there’s no better experience than what we just lived.”
The Spurs are still touted as one of the favorites to win it all next season, with a young core led by Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper.
4X NBA Champion Offers Advice For Victor Wembanyama After NBA Finals Loss