Victor Wembanyama turned in an all-time great performance in an instant-classic Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Thunder on Monday night. Wembanyama had 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in a career-high 48 minutes and 42 seconds on the court. He controlled the game on both ends and shined while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played a ho-hum game after receving his second straight NBA MVP award right before tip-off.
While SGA took center court to pose for pictures with commissioner Adam Silver and enjoy a standing ovation from the home crowd, Wembanyama sat on the bench quietly. Teammate Stephon Castle sat down next to him briefly to whisper something, but for the most part Wemby kept his eyes forward, except when he appeared to turn his head just enough to sneak a peak at Gilgeous-Alexander as he was given the trophy and held it up for the crowd.
Wemby perspective of the MVP presentation. Castle makes a few jokes to him, unamused, on his and “I took that personal arc”. Daps up Adam Silver. Check ball. pic.twitter.com/wmlCDV5H9J
— Big Rex (@rexkwondo54) May 19, 2026
If Wembanyama looked like his play was motivated by another player being given the MVP award he thought he deserved last night, well, that's because it was. He was asked after the game if SGA getting the MVP was on his mind during and if it felt personal, he admitted it did.
It was honest and refreshing. There was no stock answer. No non-answer. No lies were detected. Wembanyama basically just said Yeah, I wanted that trophy.
It was reminiscent of the time Hakeem Olajuwon went out and dominated David Robinson after losing the MVP to the original Spurs star center back in 1995. Olajuwon finished fifth in the voting that year and then had 41 and 16 after he was forced to watch Robinson's MVP presentation ahead of Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.
The Rockets beat the Spurs in six games with Olajuwon averaging 35.3 points, 12.5 rebounds, five assists, 4.2 blocks and 1.3 steals in the series and then swept the Magic in the Finals to win their second straight title.
Sometimes athletes have to search for motivation. And sometimes the commissioner shows up with a trophy and gives it to somebody else.
And yet this was still a bit of a stretch. Wembanyama was honored for his outsized impact on the other end of the court as he led the league in blocked shots for the third time in three years and won his first Defensive Player of the Year award. He had an MVP case, but he has yet to put up any season-long eye-popping numbers on offense that will convince most voters.
Putting up 40 and 20 in any playoff game is incredible, but the wildest thing about Wembanyama is that it seems like the kind of numbers he could put up on a daily basis. Basically, Wilt Chamberlain numbers. Sounds easy enough after what we witnessed last night.
Who knows what he's actually capable of over a full season, but we know he'll be motivated. Right now SGA has everything he wants and he's going to try and take it from him over the next week or so. Win or lose, he'll be back next year to prove that is his MVP. Just ask him.
