In a season where he’s often played like Superman, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama looked like Clark Kent on Tuesday night. Wembanyama struggled from the field in his team’s 127-114 Game 5 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, going just 4-of-15. With the loss, the Thunder took a 3-2 lead in the series, and sit just one win away from their second-straight appearance in the NBA Finals.
Given Wembanyama’s struggles in a must-have game for the Spurs, the big man was expected to answer some tough questions following the loss. But those never came, as Wembanyama, 22, skipped out on his media duties after Game 5.
While De’Aaron Fox was speaking with reporters, Wembanyama reportedly walked past the media and went straight to the team’s bus, per The Athletic.
In doing so, he violated an NBA mandate, which requires players to be available to speak to the media after games. It was a curious decision for Wembanyama, who was lauded all season for his willingness to answer questions and engage with the media.
But something about the team’s Game 5 loss resulted in Wembanyama shirking those duties. His struggles on the court likely played a role in that decision. Wembanyama’s issues weren’t just limited to his poor shooting. He was also limited to just six rebounds in the loss and saw his team post a rare -8 plus-minus when he was on the floor.
He also was involved in a somewhat tense shoulder bump with Thunder big man Chet Holmgren early in the contest. While Holmgren didn’t respond to Wembanyama’s contact, Thunder forward Jaylin Williams took notice.
With the two teams set to play at least one more game, Wembanyama won’t be able to avoid the media for the rest of the series, which will continue Thursday night. It’s unlikely Wembanyama is looking to do that moving forward, especially given his previous willingness to engage with reporters during the regular season.
Still, the NBA could get in touch with Wembanyama over Tuesday’s actions. The league likely isn’t too happy that one of its biggest stars violated an NBA mandate after turning in a rough performance in a big spot.
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