The San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup semifinals over the weekend in what was an instant classic game.
After the win, star player Victor Wembanyama had choice words that many took as a diss to his opponents, talking about ‘ethical basketball‘ in the face of backlash received by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his ‘foul-baiting.’
Speaking most recently before the Spurs’ NBA Cup Final clash against the New York Knicks, Wembanyama went into further detail on the comments he made after taking down the defending champions.
“In modern basketball, we see a lot of brands of basketball that don’t offer much variety,” he said. “A lot of isolation ball. Sometimes kind of forced basketball. We try to propose a brand of basketball that can be seen as kind of old-school sometimes, the Spurs way as well. So it’s tactically more correct basketball in my opinion.”
Despite a minutes restriction in his first game back from a calf injury, Wembanyama helped San Antonio hand the Thunder their second loss of the season, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in just 21 minutes.
Wembanyama On His ‘Ethical Basketball‘ Comments
Though they took the two-point win over the top team in the NBA, the semifinal victory on Saturday didn’t come easy for the Spurs. The game was extremely physical, with both teams making consistent efforts to get calls that were both warranted and perhaps a bit embellished.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been the target of criticism for his ability to get to the free-throw line, with many calling his style of play ‘unethical basketball.‘ Speaking after the win is when Wembanyama’s first comments about that issue surfaced.
“I’m just glad to be part of something that’s growing to be so beautiful — pure and ethical basketball,” he said postgame after the Spurs held the Thunder to their third-lowest scoring game of the season.
Most recently, Wembanyama elaborated on those comments, highlighting that he feels his team plays the more ‘correct‘ style of basketball. In the same press conference, the 7’5” French center added that he would like to win the NBA Cup, but he knows there is a bigger goal ahead.
“It’s not going to be a super significant step, but still a significant one, because it’s a high-stakes game that both teams are going to be very invested in winning… [A win would show] we are preparing and we will pass the next step for more significant games in the playoffs,” he told reporters. “As competitors, we want to win every game. This one brings something new to the table, so we want to win it even more.”
Wembanyama Injury Update For The NBA Cup Final
Even in his first game back after missing nearly a month, Wembanyama was extremely impactful against the defending champions. However, he was on a minutes restriction, and San Antonio appears to be prioritizing their franchise star’s health rather than the midseason tournament.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson remained vague on whether he plans to re-add Wembanyama in the starting lineup, but said the team would be keeping a close eye on his minutes versus New York.
“Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson says that the team will continue to keep an eye on Victor Wembanyama’s minutes. ‘We are still learning and we want to be very mindful of that,’“ Siegel wrote in a post on X, quoting the coach. “Johnson declined to answer if Wemby will come off the bench again on Tuesday against the Knicks.”
Even if he is on a similar minutes restriction, the Spurs’ supporting cast has played very strongly in his absence. The trio of De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle in the backcourt has been lethal over the past few games, and after beating the Thunder, finding a way to win against the Knicks feels like a lot easier task.
While it is yet to be seen how the 2025 NBA Cup Final will play out, the excitement and intrigue of the Spurs-Thunder game, along with Wembanyama’s postgame comments, and Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein’s post-final whistle critiques of the game’s officiating, many are dubbing the matchup the league’s next great rivalry.
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