Victor Wembanyama just ducked the media once again after a poor performance in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. If the San Antonio Spurs star wants to be the greatest of all time, he has to man up and stop acting like a scared kid.
It is undeniable that Wembanyama is one of the two or three greatest players in the world, and he might even be the very best at this moment. He is a defender like the league has never seen, he is hitting Steph Curry 3-pointers as a 7'6" alien, and he is capable of tremendous performances like when he dropped 41 points and 24 rebounds in Game 1.
At the same time, while we are in awe of all that Wembanyama already is, we cannot forget that he is only 22 years old. He has been in the league for three years. This is his first taste of playoff basketball. For all that he has risen to the moment, he is still prone to acting his age.
Victor Wembanyama struggled
Game 5 was a tough one for the young star, and a far cry from his Game 1 domination - or even his 33-8-5 in Game 4. Wembanyama shot 4-for-15 from the field, collected just six rebounds, and needed 12 free throws to get to his 20 points. Perhaps most shocking of all, for the first time all series, the Spurs lost him minutes, -8 when he was on the court.
The Spurs lost by 13 points, unable to get back into contact throughout the fourth quarter. Wembanyama was mortal; he was clearly frustrated (he bumped Chet Holmgren during a stoppage early in the game, then was tussling with Jaylin Williams down low at times). He shot 0-for-5 from deep and just 4-for-10 from 2-point range. Nothing was working for him.
It is natural for him to be frustrated. It is natural for him to be down. But he has to learn that you have to face the media after losses just as much as after wins.
Wembanyama is no stranger to the media, and he loves to go out after wins and say some delightfully sharp things. He is not afraid of anyone, he thinks he is the greatest, and he talks the talk and then walks the walk. He has the personality to one day legitimately be the face of the NBA, in a way no star has stepped up to take the torch from LeBron and Steph and KD.
Wembanyama has to be better
But he cannot duck the media after a loss where he played poorly. He cannot do that and be the league's No. 1 star. He cannot do that and be the greatest of all time. And right now, in this moment, he cannot do that and be the leader his team needs.
While De'Aaron Fox sat and answered questions from the media on Tuesday night, Wembanyama slunk off to the bus. He ducked the smoke. He ran scared, his tail between his legs (note: despite Wemby being an alien, the tail was a metaphor).
This is not the first time, either. During the season the Spurs went into Utah and lost to the tanking Jazz, and Wembanyama avoided the media then. He is beginning to develop a habit of this, and that's not what a leader does.
Cowards don't win
Cowards don't win championships. Cowards don't get their faces carved onto the Mount Rushmore of NBA legends. And while it's not fair to apply that label yet, he has to prove it wrong. He has to show he is courageous both on and off the court, to be the leader his team needs and the star the league is searching for.
Win or lose, dominate or struggle, Victor Wembanyama has to step up and face the media. The league requires it, but more so, history demands it. Otherwise, he will not reach the heights he is capable of.
GOATs aren't cowards.
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