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Victor Wembanyama reacts during Game 1 of the NBA Finals after a difficult shooting night against New York's physical frontcourt defense.
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.”
Shaq: “I say this with respect about Wemby: As good as he is, he’s going to need to get stronger. 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
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 08: Victor Wembanyama #1, Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks battle for position during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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.
GettySAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – JUNE 13: Devin Vassell #24 and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs react during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo
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