Shai Gilgeous-Alexander raised the MVP trophy, and from across the floor Victor Wembanyama quietly seethed. For months, Wembanyama had been chasing that particular hardware, submitting performances worthy of it on the court, lobbying for consideration from the voters off it. On Sunday, the NBA revealed that Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t just win his second straight award—he won in a landslide. And on Monday, minutes before Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, Wembanyama had to watch him receive it.
Did it make the game feel personal?, a reporter asked Wembanyama.
