For a couple of New York Knicks, Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio isn’t just a work trip – it’s a homecoming.
Jordan Clarkson and Kevin McCullar Jr. both attended Wagner High School in San Antonio, just a ten-minute drive from where they’ll be tipping off against their hometown team tonight.
It comes with a lot of memories – and Clarkson, who attended Wagner from 2006-2010 and grew up during a dominant, four-title era for the Spurs, remembers it well.
“The energy is always amazing,” Clarkson told reporters about growing up during that era during a media availability on Tuesday. “My stepmom worked at the Westin so I would see the parades through the hotel balconies and stuff. I would sneak around there and…take pictures and run up on players for autographs. I was definitely that kid.”
That hasn’t slowed him down, however, when playing against his hometown team: he’s averaged 20 points per game when playing the Spurs across his career.
He’s been a strong presence off the bench for New York this season, averaging 8.6 points per game during this regular season and 15.3 points per game across his 12-year NBA career. Back at Wagner, he led the Thunderbirds to back-to-back state semifinal appearances and was named the San Antonio high school player of the year his senior season.
McCullar Jr. made his own mark on the Wagner Thunderbirds years after Clarkson left, leading them to the 6A state title game as a sophomore in 2017. He’s been earning some more playing time for the Knicks this season, moving up the depth chart after a strong stint while Josh Hart was out with an injury. He’s averaged 2.2 points for the Knicks since being drafted in 2024.
Clarkson, McCullar Jr. and the Knicks will open the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio tonight, tipping off at 8:30 eastern.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 28: Victor Wembanyama #1 and Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs on the court during game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Six of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 28, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs have once again emerged as a force to be reckoned with, reaching the 2026 NBA Finals after six years without a playoff berth and nine years without a series win. A storied franchise that had previously never missed the playoffs in back-to-back years has come out of their worst stretch in team history with one of the youngest rosters to ever reach the Finals.
While their Finals opposition, the New York Knicks, have successfully relied on major trades and the absolute bargain that was the free-agent signing of Jalen Brunson, the Spurs are nearly the polar opposite. Aside from last season’s De’Aaron Fox trade, their core pieces have come through the draft.
The NBA Draft lottery has repeatedly broken the Spurs’ way
It’s hard for the rest of the league not to be envious looking at San Antonio’s last three first-round picks:
2023: Victor Wembanyama, No. 1 overall
2024: Stephon Castle, No. 4 overall
2025: Dylan Harper, No. 2 overall
Wemby by himself is franchise changing, and he’s on his way to being one of the greats. Castle and Harper already look like ideal guards to pair him with for years to come.
Famously (and, for conspiratorial-minded NBA fans, suspiciously), moving up in the lottery has been a rite of passage for the Spurs. Every time the Spurs have had top eight odds, they’ve moved up, including for Tim Duncan and David Robinson at No. 1 overall. The Spurs rose two spots to win the Wemby sweepstakes, improved their position by one for Castle, and vaulted six places to the No. 2 pick off a 34-48 season to get Harper. Not a bad consolation for narrowly losing out on Cooper Flagg.
File this stretch away in the history books, because this trio may be the last of its kind.
NBA Draft lottery reform makes it impossible to replicate the Spurs
In a supposed effort to curb tanking/reduce the number of G-League players getting significant minutes in March and April, the NBA sought major reform to its draft lottery. Last week, they approved something so convoluted that it makes the salary cap rules seem easy to comprehend.
Among the many changes set for the 2027 through 2029 drafts, no team is allowed to have the number one overall pick in back-to-back years, nor can it pick in the top five in three consecutive years. Had this been implemented sooner, Harper would’ve never been a Spur.
These restrictions will apply only to each team’s own pick without regard to whether that pick has been retained by the team or traded to (and thus held by) another team.
The Memphis Grizzlies, who themselves are picking third overall in this month’s draft, hold the most favorable of the 2027 first-round pick from the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, or Cleveland Cavaliers, as part of the Jaren Jackson Jr trade. Utah picks second this year and picked fifth last year, so if the Jazz end up in the lottery again next season, the pick is ineligible to be higher than sixth. Memphis, of course, was the lone team to vote against the reform.
In effect, the NBA could end up punishing teams, whether they’re “tanking” or not, who’ve acquired potentially high-value draft picks through trades.
It’s not just high lottery picks that have made the Spurs a powerhouse again
Sixth Man of the Year winner Keldon Johnson, rookie Carter Bryant, and starting forward Devin Vassell were also first-rounders, but those three were respectively picked 29th, 14th, and 11th overall. Johnson and Vassell endured the back-to-back 60-loss seasons, as did other starting forward Julian Champagnie, who was claimed off waivers when the Philadelphia 76ers desperately needed to open up a roster space so that Mac McClung could be in the dunk contest. Champagnie is one of their top three-point shooters and hasn’t missed a game in over two years.
Backup center Luke Kornet was San Antonio’s major free agent signing at just over $10 million/year, and while he may not be having a particularly strong postseason, his block on Isaiah Hartenstein in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals symbolically slammed Oklahoma City’s championship repeat shut. De’Aaron Fox has not been at his best in the playoffs and has otherwise been dealing with an ankle sprain, but the former Kings star has proven to be a stabilizing force at point guard. Stephon Castle’s early turnover issues against the Thunder as the primary ball-handler (20 TOs in Games 1-2) significantly subsided after Fox returned in Game 3, after which he had just 12 TOs combined.
The Spurs are well coached, seemingly unflappable, and the roster is poised to get better with more experience and veterans like Kelly Olynyk and Harrison Barnes eventually off the books. It also helps a hell of a lot when the ping pong balls bounce your way and you can land franchise cornerstones at three positions. Starting next year, the new rules will see to it that no team can even have a shot at the same good fortune as San Antonio.
SAN ANTONIO — When news broke that Knicks reserve center Mitchell Robinson fractured a finger — it turned out to be his hand — and had surgery to repair it, there were understandable doubts he would be able to get healthy enough for Game 1. This is the kind of injury that usually takes more than a month to heal.
This is not a surprise. Robinson had been pushing to return to play but remains officially "questionable" for Game 1, a status unlikely to change until the hour before tip-off. However, he practiced with the team on Tuesday with just a wrap on his hand, and the expectation has been that if he could play, he would.
New York needs Robinson and his physicality to help defend Victor Wembanyama, an assignment he will draw for much of the series. In the Knicks' NBA Cup Finals victory over the Spurs back in December, Robinson had 10 offensive rebounds and was a force on both ends of the floor.
Robinson suffered the hand injury at home, not during Game 4 against the Cavaliers or at the Knicks' practice facility (it is still not clear exactly what caused it). Robinson fractured his fifth metacarpal, which is the bone that connects the little finger to the wrist.
Because it's a hand injury, it can be wrapped and padded to protect it on the court. How that impacts his ability to catch a pass or pull down a contested rebound remains to be seen.
Our computer's NBA picks for Game 1 on Wednesday, June 3 are calling for a trio of San Antonio players to top their point totals tonight, led by Julian Champagnie.
Knicks vs Spurs computer picks for Game 1
Knicks
Spurs
Hart u1.5 threes +140
Champagnie o9.5 points -125
Towns u4.5 assists -155
Fox o15.5 points +100
Anunoby u5.5 rebounds +102
Castle o16.5 points -102
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Knicks Game 1 computer picks
Josh Hart Under 1.5 threes (+140)
Projection: 1.33 threes
Our computer's lone five-star play of the night is Josh Hart to fall short of his 3-point line at plus-odds, with a +24.98% EV edge.
The New York Knicks SG has missed the Over in six of his last 10, and he plays in a system that's been the seventh-least aggressive when it comes to 3-point attempts across the last 25 games.
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Karl-Anthony Towns Under 4.5 assists (-155)
Projection: 3.75 assists
Karl-Anthony Towns' assists have risen steadily since the playoffs started, as he's hit the Over in eight of his last 10. But our computer believes now is the time to sell on the Knicks big man.
Towns has gone Under in two of his last three, and the Knicks have played at the slowest tempo in the NBA over the last 25 games.
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OG Anunoby Under 5.5 rebounds (+102)
Projection: 5.37 rebounds
OG Anunoby has gone below this line in four of his last six games, and there's an 8.37% EV edge associated with backing the Under again here.
The San Antonio Spurs have been a tough team to rebound against all year, ranking eighth in opponent boards per game.
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Spurs Game 1 computer picks
Julian Champagnie Over 9.5 points (-125)
Projection: 11.77 points
Julian Champagnie has beaten this line in six of his last eight overall, and our computer is calling for him to go Over again by more than a full basket.
Our system sees the 3-ball as the key to success for Champagnie.
"This year when they are on their home court, the opposing team's starting PFs have averaged 47.7% on threes (2nd-highest in the NBA) against the Knicks, labeling this as a positive matchup."
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De'Aaron Fox Over 15.5 points (+100)
Projection: 16.55 points
De'Aaron Fox was playing hurt and was most neutralized by the Oklahoma City Thunder, going below his points prop in all five games he played in the Western Conference Finals. But our system has identified multiple angles that suggest Fox can bounce back.
"Offensive rebounds preserve possession and spark further opportunities for scoring and assists, and the Spurs rank 4th-best in in the league with 13.1 offensive boards per game over the last 10 games.. This year, opposing starting PGs have attempted 4.3 free throws per game (6th-highest in the league) against the Knicks, making it fairly effortless to get to the free-throw line."
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Stephon Castle Over 16.5 points (-102)
Projection: 17.67 points
Another Spurs points prop, another four-star Over play for our computer. This one comes out to a 15.65% EV edge.
Stephon Castle should make it rain on the Knicks from downtown tonight.
"The matchup against the Knicks is a positive one for three-pointers; the opposing team's starting SGs have posted the highest 3-point rate in the NBA this year (44.7%)."
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How to watch Knicks vs Spurs Game 1
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
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The New York Knickerbockers are the hottest thing in pro sports and will have even more sizzle if they go all the way and win the NBA title.
No matter what happens, the Knicks are delivering pots of gold to the MSG coffers while making Garden owner Jim Dolan happier than a convention of larks warbling "Who's Sorry Now?"
Believe it or not Dolan's sometimes sunny disposition matters to the fair citizens of Rangerville who crave an ice winner like their MSG cousins on the hardwood floor.
Two things are going to happen as a result of the Knicks' bonanza:
THE GOOD THING: Dolan should figure: "Now that I got my Knicks on track; I should be able to put all of the Garden'$ resources behind the Blueshirts. And if Drury and Sullivan don't get me results, they go and I'll get the best replacements money can buy."
THE BAD THING: The Knicks have been enjoying a ton of positive headlines and should get a ton more going forward and next season as well. Dolan knows that the Rangers will sell out even with 20 skating cockroaches stickhandling in blue uniforms.
With that in his crafty mind, Jimmy might just decide not to waste his emotion and pride on his Blueshirts and allow them to lose their way into the NHL sunset.
However, The Maven is convinced that Dolan will do the Good Thing, knowing that it'll take a couple of seasons before the franchise is rebuilt.
Hey! Look how long it took for his basketeers to get good. Not exactly overnight. More like over-century!
The wait is over. The 2026 NBA Finals tip off tonight as the San Antonio Spurs host the New York Knicks in Game 1.
With tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. ET at Frost Bank Center and the Spurs listed as 5.5-point favorites, our Covers experts break down their favorite NBA picks and predictions for Wednesday, June 3.
The New York Knicks' burly point guard can also clean the glass and unlike the opening three rounds, Brunson faces a smaller San Antonio Spurs squad.
Beyond 7-foot skyscraper Victor Wembanyama and a few backup bigs, the Spurs’ main rotation doesn’t go beyond 6-foot-7, and that gives smaller guards a fighting chance on the boards (take Wemby out and San Antonio drops to an average height of 6-foot-6.1 – fourth shortest).
Brunson was an active rebounder in three meetings with San Antonio this season, snatching four rebounds in each of those outings while averaging more than seven rebounding chances per game.
Jason Logan's expert pick: Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 threes
Price: +135 at bet365
With Victor Wembanyama lurking in the key, the Knicks need to stretch a Spurs defense that doesn’t have much length beyond Wemby. That means smaller defenders and cleaner looks for Brunson.
Projections lean toward a trio of triples from Brunson, with an underdog game script giving Over 2.5 threes a shot in the arm at plus-money.
Douglas Farmer's expert pick: Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds
Price: -125 at bet365
Amid relative offensive struggles in that second-round series, Victor Wembanyama still cleared this modest rebounding prop in four of the five games he played genuine minutes in. (Let’s just ignore his stats from Game 4, when Wembanyama was ejected after playing 12 minutes for an egregious elbow to Naz Reid’s throat.)
The only game in which Wembanyama fell short of this prop was the clinching Game 6, when the San Antonio Spurs led by 13 at halftime and 26 by the end of the third quarter. Even Wemby’s 27 minutes did not require full effort. Otherwise, Wembanyama ruled the glass, averaging 15.5 rebounds per game.
Douglas Farmer's expert pick: De'Aaron Fox Over 1.5 steals
Price: +160 at bet365
This is as much a bet on how often Jalen Brunson will handle the ball as it is on De’Aaron Fox’s quick hands. Fox should be Brunson’s primary defender more often than not — allowing Stephon Castle to match up with a bigger wing — and when facing such a ball-dominant point guard, the steal opportunities will be bountiful.
Fox cleared this prop twice in the final three games of the Western Conference Finals, again facing a ball-dominant guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Betting on Fox’s steals prop makes most sense early in the series — as is the case with any Spurs — as it may take a game or two for New York to adjust to this unique, Wembanyama-supported defense. San Antonio’s perimeter defenders can be aggressive, knowing the quality of rim protection awaiting behind them.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Many people around the league, from agents to executives, continue to believe that Antetokounmpo will end up in Miami when this saga finally comes to an end.
Pat Riley has made it clear Miami is big game hunting this summer. The Heat trade package for Antetokounmpo would be based around Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and up to three first-round picks, including this season's No. 13. That comes close to what the Bucks seek — a blue-chip young player and picks — and is same offer the Heat had on the table in February when talks got fairly serious (although league sources told NBC Sports at the time they weren't sure the Bucks were genuinely looking for a trade then, it was more guageing the market).
Milwaukee may be treating Miami as the deal it has in its back pocket while looking for a better one. Antetokounmpo will have a say in this, and it's fair to ask if he's paired with Bam Adebayo, but there is not much else around them, is that much better than the Bucks situation? But landing in South Beach still seems the most likely outcome.
Golden State Warriors
This is not happening. The one thing that is clear so far in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes is that the two-time MVP wants to stay in the East, and with that, the Warriors seem to be pulling back from the more aggressive stance they took at the trade deadline. From Jake Fischer at Bleacher Report.
"I'm not looking at Golden State really as a Giannis team either. I have been told that Giannis isn't exactly enamored with moving to the Western Conference in general, let alone going and being second fiddle to Stephen Curry."
Boston Celtics
This is a team that draws a lot of speculation, even though there doesn't seem to be a lot of heat coming from this fire, just a lot of smoke. As longtime Celtics reporter Steve Bulpett reported, there have been no direct talks between Boston and Milwaukee.
So why all the Boston rumors? Because people continue to LOVE the idea of splitting up Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, even if they won a title together. Also, after Boston was upset in the first round of the playoffs, Brown made comments that raised eyebrows while coach Joe Mazzulla talked about needing to put more pressure on the rim. Some people want to connect the dots.
The challenge is putting together a trade that actually works for everyone. It will involve at least three and probably more teams, as Amick and Nehm note at The Athletic. The third team is needed because how much the Bucks want 29-year-old Brown — a true star but one at his peak, not the young heart of a rebuild — is up for debate.
So while there is no doubting the ability of Boston’s All-NBA forward coming off a career year, he might not fit [Milwaukee's] timeline or, as rival executives have indicated, their desire to land that top-tier young player in this deal. Still, a multi-team deal in which Brown headed elsewhere could serve them very well in terms of other players and assets.
It may come down to this: Would Antetokounmpo push hard to make this happen? He wants to compete for a ring and him with Jayson Tatum would be that. If Antetokounmpo does push, what is Boston's true interest level?
Portland Trail Blazers (and the rest of the West)
This is not happening.
Multiple reports note that Antetokounmpo does not want to go West (and he has leverage with just one guaranteed year left on his contract, he can walk one year in). What Antetokounmpo wants is to contend, and Portland was a play-in team last season. League sources told NBC Sports the Trail Blazers rumors are more performative than reality, something by and for new owner Tom Dundon, showing fans how he cares about winning — "See how hard we are trying! Look what a good owner I will be!"
Antetokounmpo not going West means not only are Portland and Golden State out, but so are potential real suitors in Minnesota and Houston. I'd say the same about Oklahoma City, but its interest was always speculation from the outside by people seeking attention, not grounded in reality. OKC was never going in on Antetokounmpo.
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks looks to pass the ball as Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense during the game during the 2025 NBA Emirates Cup Final on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
At this level, a basketball series is always a chess game; and it would surprise no one that Victor Wembanyama who famously played chess in New York, is certainly looking at a tough, strategic series to finish this season.
I thought it would great to review what challenges the New York Knicks present, and come up with some creative, chess-like, strategies to help our young Spurs win the Larry O’Brien trophy.
These 2026 NBA Finals promise to be epic
Two very different teams, on two very different trajectories in the past few years if not the past few weeks.
In a chess game, it is often more important to analyse and design a strategy from your opponent’s perspective. Although the Spurs have home court advantage thanks to their 62 win season, as opposed to 53 for the Knicks, these Finals will be played strategically on these two awesome court designs.
The Spurs, after a hard reset via the lottery, have accelerated their return to contention in remarkable fashion, in less than three years after drafting Wembanyama.
The Knicks, on the other end, have patiently rebuilt their roster around Jalen Brunson.
One amusing thing these two teams share: a reluctance to disclose their respective star player’s real height. Is Victor really 7’3 or closer to 7’5? And Jalen? Genuinely 6’2 or more like 6’?
Another common trait: depth. During this postseason, both teams have leaned heavily on their benches. The Knicks have had their five starters scoring in double figures, the Spurs had six players.
The Knicks’ Strengths
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 25: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks is defended by Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jalen Brunson is a maestro. The ball stays in his hands a lot, but his offense is less self-centered than Doncic’s, he directs rather than dominates. His footwork is unmatched in the League, allowing him to find ways to score over or around players far taller than him, which is nearly everyone. On the defensive end, he has an uncanny ability to draw charges and calls himself the best “below the rim protector” in the game.
CLEVELAND, OH – MAY 23: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks dunks the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 23, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The second most important Knicks is OG Anunoby. The 28-year-old Englishman is peaking. Already a champion with the Raptors in 2019, he is averaging nearly 20 points this postseason while shooting 48% from three (mainly on corner threes) on 4.8 attempts per game, all while being arguably the Knicks’ best and most consistent defender, averaging 7 rebounds and 2.6 stocks.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MAY 25: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks shoots a three point basket during the game against the Indiana Pacers during Game 3 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Then there is Karl-Anthony Towns. It seems like coach Mike Brown has unlocked a version of KAT we had never seen before, even in Minnesota. KAT leads the Knicks in rebounds and dishes out almost 6 assists per game, while also recording 2.6 stocks. And he has not abandoned his signature strength: an almost incomprehensible 49% from three on 3.2 attempts per game, cementing his case as the best-shooting 7-footer in the League.
This trio has been flying this postseason: efficient, defensively sound, and relentless. Special mention to Mikal Bridges, who after a rough start has shot 59% from the floor, and Josh Hart, their Swiss Army knife who leaves everything on the court every night.
The Knicks’s bench is not as deep as some other Conference Finalists, but Landry Shamet and Miles McBride can produce big buckets on any given night. Jordan Clarkson and Mitchell Robinson bring energy and spot minutes off the pine.
Expected Match-Ups
Brunson vs. Castle
LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 16: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense on Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during 2025 Emirates NBA Cup Finals Game on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On paper, this could be the key match-up of the Finals. Castle has shown he could hold the two-time MVP below his scoring average for most of the WCF but Steph has also struggled at times, particularly with turnovers when Fox was out with a high ankle sprain.
Brunson is the best in the business at drawing charges. If Castle is aggressive driving to the rim as he often does, Brunson will be waiting for him. As much as Castle can slow Brunson down, the reverse is equally true: a foul-trouble crisis for Castle would be devastating for San Antonio.
Hart vs. Wembanyama
LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 16: Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks and Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game during the 2025 NBA Emirates Cup Final on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Many analysts predict Wembanyama will be assigned to Josh Hart, the least threatening offensive weapon in the Knicks starting five, allowing him to roam and wreak havoc defensively. I see more problems with this approach than benefits. Here is what I would do instead. Hart will be smart enough to apply pressure on the boards, he is an above-average offensive rebounder, and therefore he could keep Vic close to the hoop.
We saw against OKC, how Vic’s rebounds declined as he was assigned to doubling on SGA or running to the 3-point line. The Spurs need Wembanyama to own the paint, not just on offense but on the defensive end too, to avoid second chance points.
A Different Approach: My Preferred Match-Ups for the Spurs
Wembanyama on Anunoby
None of San Antonio’s starters can match OG physically, except Vic. If Wembanyama was able to battle Hartenstein and Caruso, he can contain OG, who is dangerous in transition, off the dribble, and from deep. Putting Vic on Hart might free him up to help, but OG would feast on anyone else guarding him. Julian Champagnie or Keldon Johnson are secondary options if needed.
Vassell on Towns
Devin Vassell’s defense on Chet Holmgren was stellar throughout the Western Conference Finals. KAT, much like Chet, spends a lot of time outside the paint. The two 7-footers share another similarity: they can be gotten into their heads, exposed mentally more than physically. Vassell has the discipline and focus to exploit that.
Champagnie on Hart
Julian’s rebounding has been impressive in the second half of the season and has carried into the postseason. Matching him with Hart could neutralize Hart’s offensive rebounding, which is one of his most dangerous and underrated contributions.
Castle on Bridges
Mikal Bridges is currently scorching. No one is better equipped than Castle to slow him down. And when Bridges’s shots aren’t falling, he can become a net negative for his team. Castle can put him in that box.
Fox on Brunson
That leaves DeAaron Fox on Brunson. Fox is San Antonio’s most experienced starter and has faced Brunson 17 times in his career.
Brunson will always be hard to stop. My strategy is to disrupt all the other Knicks starters and let Fox handle Brunson. These are the NBA Finals. Fox will rise to the occasion. He is about to become a max-contract player, while Brunson famously took a pay cut to give the Knicks front office room to build around him. This series is Fox’s moment as a Spurs.
LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 16: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket as De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense during the game during the Emirates NBA Cup Final game on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Prediction
Spurs in 7
Victor Wembanyama will once again lead his team in points, rebounds, and blocks and will win the Finals MVP Trophy.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 4: Tracy Morgan and Jimmy Fallon hug after the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks during Round Two Game One on May 4, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The day is here. Game One of the NBA Finals. Unless you came to this party reallllly late, you know the dates and lengths: 27 years since New York’s last Finals appearance, 53 years since Walt and the Gang beat the league. My inner junior sportswriter is compelled to reference those numbers at the outset of this preview, and that’s fine. They remain impressive, even after inserting them into dozens of articles over the past months.
I am moved, too, to give other details. For instance, the likely starters (De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie, and Victor Wembanyama for the home team; Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns for the visitors), and how the Knicks fared against San Antonio during the regular season—2-1, including the Emirates Cup win, which friggin counts!
The urge to write out per-game averages and shooting percentages is being resisted. You must have a good, general understanding of our team and the competition after three rounds of playoff basketball and endless media coverage. What is left to say? Wemby is tall and supernatural. Brunson is small and supernatural. The supporting cast is an impressive array of talented characters, with respected vets on our side and respected kids on theirs.
I feel obliged to mention that the Knicks are on a postseason rampage, winning 11 straight games and bludgeoning teams by more points than any other NBA team in playoff history. I should recommend that you ignore any biased hacks who dismiss the streak based on the quality of their opponents. The Knicks swept two postseason-qualifying NBA teams and would have taken the broom to the Hawks, too, if they had gotten their act together sooner.
Should I update you on Mitchell Robinson’s finger (you know as much as I do)? Or remind you how that kid from Brooklyn, Julian Champagnie, went nuclear on December 31 versus the Knicks, recording a career-high 36 points and setting a Spurs franchise record by drilling 11 three-pointers (on 17 attempts)? Or relay that a certain podcaster says the key to stopping Wemby is to tire him out by sprinting up and down the floor?
Maybe. But, friends, fans, and family, I am too deep in my feelings this morning to care about statistics.
Matthew Miranda (you know him, you love him) and I were recalling how the 1994 Finals gutted us. Turns out, I am still not healed from the loss to the Hakeem and the Rockets. When I sat with the memories last night, my stomach wrenched as if stabbed. An honest-to-goodness twist in the guts, after all these years! Memory lane is a thorny path, indeed.
June of ‘94 was a momentous month. I graduated from high school, put plans in place for summer and fall, and my beloved basketball team was in the NBA Finals. Life was looking pretty, pretty good. Then the Knicks lost Game Seven, and it became apparent that everything (life, plans, expectations) might not go so smoothly after all.
It didn’t, and it did. I survived college. Moved to Binghamton for a job and wound up with a family and a drinking problem. Got sober. Made friends. Did a ton of cool stuff. Remarried and expanded the family. Lost too many friends to count. Watched my babies become men. Etcetera. The details differ, but we each have a version of the highs and the lows. Along the way, I stuck with my Knicks. I groaned my way through so many lame seasons and players and coaches, all the while expecting / hoping / praying for the Knicks to win a championship in my lifetime. They came close in 1999 before falling to a different team from Texas, the Spurs. That makes the current Finals quite a special rematch, no? Almost as if divinely designed.
During the title drought, I assume that many of you thought, like me, They couldn’t go more than 35 years without a ring, right? Not 40, right? Not 50—right??? Tonight, as the Finals begin, we will each bring our own meanings, feelings, and history as fans to the game. For me, there’s a chance to heal a wound that opened in 1994. I am deeply grateful—and so damned lucky—to share the moment with all of you, who can understand. What a blessed life it has turned out to be.
Go Knicks!
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (0-0) at San Antonio Spurs (0-0) Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2026 Time: 8:30 PM ET Place: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX TV: ABC Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
Tip-off is at 8:30 E.T., with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. The $10 tickets were snapped up quickly and sold out within an hour of the posting on Ticketmaster. Fans will be able to watch the game on Garden Vision and other screens inside the Garden.
It's a stark turnaround from what city officials were saying just a week ago as the Knicks were eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers in a four-game sweep.
The New York City Police Department had to stop watch parties outside "The World's Most Famous Arena" during the Cavaliers series, claiming fans became unruly. On May 21, six people were arrested after more than 6,000 fans celebrated following New York's 109-93 victory over Cleveland in Game 2.
Crowds were seen jumping on top of subway entrances, climbing on police barricades, causing traffic problems, throwing bottles and just being an overall nuisance.
Fans can also participate in free watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden at Plaza33 and at SummerStage in Central Park. The team also said that additional Game 3 watch parties will take place at both venues when the Knicks return home to play on June 8.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 5: Marcus Smart #36 high fives Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers after the game against the San Antonio Spurs on NOVEMBER 5, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With a really important offseason in front of the Lakers, it probably shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that there were a lot of questions you guys wanted answered in our latest mailbag.
So many, in fact, that we have to split them up.
There was plenty of discussion and questions about LeBron James, his impending free agency, how much the Lakers should prioritize him and whether they’re better off without him. There were also a lot of other general questions.
To avoid turning the mailbag into a LeBron-centric piece, we’re going to split that up into it’s own piece for Thursday. This one will be focused on the “other” questions, which involve the Lakers’ own free agents, potential centers in free agency and via trade and how the team is and could change owner Mark Walter.
So, let’s dive in!
Romain Corsican LakerFan
Aside from Luka and Reaves, which Laker free agents are absolute keepers and at what price?
As I thought about this question, I actually wondered if there were any that were “absolute” keepers. It’s a subjective phrase, but to me, it means you have to pay them whatever is necessary to retain them.
The only person I feel that way about would be Austin Reaves, who was taken out of the conversation. After that, would you argue that anyone else is someone the Lakers must keep?
With LeBron, there is a price point that certainly will determine how much the Lakers want to re-sign him. Rui Hachimura feels like the next most important free agent, but there is a price point where it would feel too rich to retain him.
After that, I’m not sure you would quantify any of the other free agents as “absolute” keepers. Luke Kennard was valuable during the regular season and the first round of the playoffs, but also tailed off offensively as the postseason progressed and was targeted often by the Thunder.
Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton could be free agents, but I doubt anyone views Ayton as an “absolute” keeper. Smart could be on that list, but if a team comes in with an offer around $10 million annually, does it make sense for the Lakers to retain him?
The good news for the Lakers in all this is that not many teams have cap space. They won’t be able to outspend LA unless they devote their mid-level exceptions to these players. The Lakers are in a good place in this regard.
Section80
How would a center rotation of Mitchell Robinson and Timelord look with Luka? Would it be financially reasonable and responsible?
Who are the top 10 realistic wings we should be targeting in trade/free agency?
Let’s say Rob goes star chasing like a raving lunatic and Walters doesn’t stop the madman from gutting any semblance of depth. What would a team of Luka, Giannis, LeBron, and AR even look like?
Let’s take this one at a time.
A center rotation of Mitchell Robinson and Robert Williams III would be incredible…for the seven games they are healthy together. Both are set for free agency this summer, so they would be attainable. But both have big injury concerns.
Robinson has played 59, 31, 17 and 60 games in the last four seasons. Time Lord has played 35, 6, 20 and 59 games in his last four seasons. I don’t want to be the team buying high on them having a rare healthy season.
Now, let’s look at the wings. I’m not going to rank them, but I have been making a list of players to take a look at before free agency. Here’s a look at that (non-extensive) list right now:
Peyton Watson, Herb Jones, Lu Dort, Tari Eason, Trey Murphy III, Lu Dort, Sadiq Bey, Kelly Oubre, Derrick Jones Jr., Andrew Wiggins
Lastly, the Giannis Antetokoumpo superteam route. In a scenario where they somehow have acquired Giannis, convinced LeBron to sign for the minimum and retained Austin, they would have a fantastic core…and little else.
Giannis would eat up all of the Lakers’ cap room. You’re going to have to build the roster with the exceptions they would have and veteran’s minimum deals. It’s a path the Lakers were forced down during the Russell Westbrook days with mixed results.
But, having said that, you’d be hard-pressed to find a quartet better than those four.
SirTuppy
Another one.
Should Rob Pelinka stay on as GM? Give a full analysis on his hits and misses as GM and, critically, how many of those were on him vs. influenced by other factors.
How much was Lebron coming to L.A. based on Magic or simply that Lebron already wanted to be here? (Keeping in mind the two max cap space plan and the young assets and the getting off of bad contracts that made it appealing.)
How much credit for the Luka trade?
How much blame for the Westbrook trade vs. how much of that is on AD and Lebron pushing for it?
How much is THT/Caruso on him vs. Jeanie not wanting to spend?
And so on and so forth. New ownership. They’re going to take a long look at things. Rob has a lot of very hardcore detractors. Also some defenders, but less vocal.
Basically, I personally think there are good arguments for giving Rob the boot. There are good arguments for retaining him. I want to see this sort of analysis too. Fair minded, open, looking at things from all angles.
I think there’s a nuanced conversation to be had about Rob Pelinka and his role with the team. It’s something I plan on diving into more in-depth at some point. But the gist of it is that I always felt that he was going to get this summer to make moves, but he’ll be heavily judged on them.
In short, this is a make-or-break summer.
You don’t spend years building up this summer with talks about optionality and draft picks and flexibility and then be allowed to miss on it. He has to get things right this summer or he should lose his job.
Now, if you’re looking for some optimism on if he can do that, take a look at the last calendar year. Starting with the draft and buying up to select Adou Thiero through free agency and the trade deadline, Pelinka has hit on basically every move.
I’m not trying to write away his misses, because they’ve been big and set the team back years. Watching Alex Caruso still hurts. But is it possible those were mistakes he learned from?
For the sake of the team this summer, it’s best to hope so.
TheWrathof
Can you provide a breakdown of the Lakers roster and cap situation, including any exceptions they are allowed going into the summer trade and free agency?
Well, I can’t give you a complete breakdown in this short time, but we do have plans for our very own Bryan Toporek to detail some things in the coming weeks.
I would also direct you to the top of our page, under “Sections.” If you click “Salary Cap Info,” it will take you to our salary page, which is updated throughout the season. It will also show you the breakdown from our friends at Salary Swish.
Coops Knee Highs
Aside from moving the SB Lakers to the Coachella Valley, what changes to their G team is the organization planning to make? Will these changes actually benefit the big boy club?
There hasn’t been any talk about changes to the G League team outside of the move to Coachella Valley. While there was some discussion about the negatives that would come with the move, including not having the G League team in-house anymore, it will allow the Lakers to reallocate some of the space in the UCLA Health Training Center with new medical and recovery labs.
Circling back to the G League side, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the coaching staff and front office expanded to some degree. It’s one of the ways the team can flex their financial muscle outside of the salary cap and finding those diamonds in the rough is already a Lakers specialty even before Walter took over.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 29: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics high-fives Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans after a game at the TD Garden on January 29, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Jaylen Brown trade rumors keep comin’ and they don’t stop comin’.
After weeks of speculation about whether the Celtics could explore a major roster shakeup this offseason, the New Orleans Pelicans have reportedly emerged as one of the teams with interest in Brown.
“The Pelicans have been mentioned by various league executives with Jaylen Brown interest, as well,” NBA insider Jake Fischer said while speaking on Bleacher Report’s live show.
Fischer also cautioned that interest does not mean Boston is preparing to move one of its franchise pillars.
“We don’t know if Boston is even going to fully entertain this at the end of the day,” Fischer said. “But that doesn’t mean these teams aren’t going to call and try.”
According to reports, the Rockets, Hawks, and Trail Blazers have also been linked to Brown. Of course, none of this means a deal is close. It does not even mean Brad Stevens is shopping Brown. But it does show that if Boston ever did open the door, there would be no shortage of teams trying to wedge a foot into the frame and present their best package.
Cambridge, MA – July 26: Boston Celtics SG Jaylen Brown looks at President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens after signing his supermax contract extension. Standing behind them are, from left, Celtics Governor Wyc Grousbeck, Managing General Partner Steve Pagliuca, and head coach Joe Mazzulla. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
For New Orleans, the motivation is easy enough to understand. Brown would give the Pelicans a proven star wing still in his prime, someone who could immediately raise the team’s ceiling and set a defensive tone under new head coach Jamahl Mosley. He is a five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, NBA champion and Finals MVP. Those players do not become available often, which is why teams are apparently circling even before there is any clear sign Boston is ready to listen.
The harder question, and the only one that really matters, is what the Pelicans could actually offer and whether that’s enough for Brad Stevens.
Trey Murphy III would almost certainly need to be part of any serious player package. Murphy is younger than Brown, a high-level shooter and the kind of big wing every team desires. Dejounte Murray could also help match salary and give Boston another ball handler, though his fit would be questionable alongside Jayson Tatum and the rest of the Celtics roster.
Another possible framework could center around Murphy, Murray and significant draft capital. NBA insider Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson reported that a potential New Orleans offer could be built around those pieces, which makes sense as a starting point if the Pelicans want to avoid including Zion Williamson.
But in terms of allure, Zion is perhaps the most fascinating name, and certainly the scariest one.
According to Robinson, the Pelicans would prefer to keep Williamson, but may not view him as completely untouchable if a major deal for a player of Brown’s caliber required a larger franchise pivot. One potential alternate construction could involve Zion, Herb Jones and significant draft capital. That package would give Boston more rim pressure and defensive toughness, but it would also ask the Celtics to take on all the uncertainty that has followed Williamson’s career: availability, conditioning, fit and whether his best-case version can be counted on through a long playoff run.
That is a lot of risk when the outgoing player is Jaylen Brown.
The crown jewel in any Pelicans package may not be one of the names on the roster. It could be the 2027 first-round asset. New Orleans’ future draft situation is complicated by swaps and obligations, but the appeal is obvious. If Boston were to move Brown without getting a clean star-for-star replacement, the Celtics would need draft capital that could either become a premium pick or help fuel the next move.
That is where this rumor becomes more interesting than a simple “Team X wants star player” headline.
A Brown-to-New-Orleans deal would probably make more sense if it were part of a larger chain of moves. The Celtics are not in a position where depth for depth’s sake should be the goal. They already have plenty of players who can make a case for minutes. Their bigger need is turning good pieces into fewer, better-fitting pieces around Jayson Tatum and whoever remains in the core.
That is why any Pelicans package would need to be judged less by the names alone and more by what it allows Boston to do next. Murphy would help replace some wing scoring and shooting. Murray would give Boston a mid-sized contract and another creator. Zion would offer the rim pressure Stevens has openly said the Celtics need, but with far more volatility. The 2027 first-round asset could be the real swing piece, especially if Boston is trying to build enough ammunition for another major move.
Still, there is a long way from “interest” to an actual Jaylen Brown trade.
Brown is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists. He helped carry Boston to 56 wins in a season that began with lowered expectations because of Jayson Tatum’s Achilles recovery. He remains one of the faces of the franchise and one of the few players on the roster who has already proven he can be a top option deep into the playoffs.
So yes, the Pelicans may be interested. I’m sure most teams would be interested in having a player like Brown on their roster.
But if New Orleans wants Boston to even think about picking up the phone, the conversation probably starts with Murphy, real salary, and the best draft capital the Pelicans can put on the table. If Zion is involved, the upside grows, but so does the risk.
Anything less feels more like an early-summer rumor than a serious Jaylen Brown conversation.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates with Devin Vassell #24 after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder with a score of 111 to 103 to win Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 30, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For as unpredictable as the NBA can be, it doesn’t get many sea changes. That is, big, overhauling alterations to its topography or behavioral patterns – those things take more time. The 2025-2026 Playoffs have been mercurial, surprising, even enlightening, but it’s still not the basketball that’s brought about the most marked development.
It was clear something was different when the tenor of the NBA aggregator infographics changed. Early in the playoffs the images looked familiar, the usual contextless photos of athletes looking gassed or frustrated churned out with blunt, all-caps missives (OUT, ELIMINATED, CHOKED, BUILT DIFFERENT) from NBA media properties’ social platforms and aggregator sites alike. But then, following the first round, there was a blip.
After the Spurs beat the Blazers in a five-game series, Victor Wembanyama answered a postgame question from L’Equipe’s Maxime Aubin about the cliché that showing emotions signals weakness. As that game ended, Wembanyama visibly choked up on the Spurs bench.
“I think it’s first and foremost a fear of judgment,” Wembanyama told Aubin. “Like, this feeling that you have to act a certain way, social codes, I guess. Personally, I refuse to carry the burden of having to hide my emotions.”
In rapid succession, the quote was aggregated, but it wasn’t blunted. At most, the “personally” was lopped off, but infographics of all shapes and sizes (or just two, whatever the optimised dimensions are for Instagram and Twitter) stated, like an awkwardly short affirmation, “I refuse to carry the burden of having to hide my emotions.” There were photos of Wembanyama looking thoughtfully into the middle distance, photos of him screaming in triumph, lots of photos of him crying, face scrunched or buried into the shoulder of a teammate.
That was early May, when the stakes for the Spurs felt light and low. The team has since advanced through two more rounds, besting the Timberwolves in six and dumbfounding the Thunder in seven games of high-flying, arduous, gorgeous basketball. Throughout those 13 contests, Wembanyama’s emotional peaks and valleys have continued to be on prominent display: there have been more tears, more tension, more frustrations and more joy. In the month backdropping those games, the appreciation, even obsession, with Wembanyama’s expressiveness has also grown. Creators outside the traditional NBA media and fan ecosystem have latched on, touting Wembanyama for normalising vulnerability and bringing back demonstratively caring about things. Even within the typically contradictory and oftentimes dour NBA media space of which I am a part, he’s been similarly lauded.
But Wembanyama isn’t the first athlete to articulate how badly he wants to win and to ugly cry when he does. Nor is he the first to grapple with the juxtaposition of that desirousness against the appearance of cold control we still require of our stars. So, what is it about this moment that’s made Wembanyama resonate so deeply, well beyond the NBA? Why do we care so much about Wembanyama caring so much?
Loathe as we are to admit it, we’re creatures of the contemporary world; frogs boiling in whatever noxious soup du jour each new news cycle dumps more ingredients into. Against the backdrop of accumulating global conflicts and the warped language used by our leaders to justify them — “deescalate” into violent escalation, “winding down” that only serves to ramp up — the plain-spoken rejection of a convoluted and long-held status quo hits like a gulp of cold water. Wembanyama handed us the proverbial glass when he rejected the need to be responsible for other people’s discomfort with his emotions, and he’s topped the glass up each time he’s doubled down on being expressive.
There’s a two-fold distinction in Wembanyama’s direct and considered articulation. The first is that he has the perspective of an outsider, because he is one. Basketball is the common ground, a shared language as much as shorthand between him and a majority American NBA fanbase, but his clarity comes from a lifetime prior to now of looking in. The requisite distance needed to hold a place up like a prism and have it catch different streams of light. It was apparent this past winter, when he was one of just a few NBA players to speak up about ICE violently clamping down on people in Minneapolis.
“Every day I wake up and see the news and I’m horrified. It’s crazy that some people might make it sound like it’s acceptable, the murder of civilians. Every day I read the news and I’m asking very deep questions about my own life. But I’m conscious also that saying everything that’s on my mind that would have a cost that’s too great for me right now,” he told media. “I’m a foreigner, I live in this country, I am concerned.”
Asked to clarify if his hesitation to speak came from being a foreigner, Wembanyama said yes.
It was a glimpse into his thought process as a person navigating the delicate intersection he stood at as a French national and non U.S. citizen, as a high-profile athlete, arguably no longer an abstract “future face of the NBA” but the very one actively eclipsing the last generation, and as, foremost, a person who saw injustice and harm and was compelled to speak up. All athletes exist in something of a suspended state of personhood, expected to perform as their outward persona even when they’re off the court. International athletes — especially those in the U.S. in its current sociopolitical climate — exist in a much more temporal state of belonging and tend to keep below the radar.
His articulation has also been bodily. At his stature, his face is a little like a lighthouse. Whatever expression flashes there is impossible to miss. The difference between Wembanyama’s competitive expressiveness and, say, an athlete blowing up on court with vitriol, is that we’re almost more accustomed to the latter. To expressions of frustration and aggression: fights breaking out, equipment being smashed. We’re conditioned to think of these eruptions as part and parcel with the high-stakes and effort of pro sports, proof of concept. But it’s a little bit of crying that, traditionally, had the potential to send the whole system spiraling. At least it was, until a highly visible — 7’4, towering tears — athlete started doing it.
It’s this visibility of emotion, specifically the emotions we equate with sensitivity and vulnerability, that’s so unique when paired with Wembanyama’s expression of them. It reads as oversimplified, even rude (giant man has giant feelings), but when seemingly softer emotions are expressed at billboard-size scale, it’s almost like exposure therapy.
And it’s high-stakes exposure. Prime-time and now, entering the Finals, under the brightest lights and biggest production the NBA has to offer. There’s been a sense that, as the playoffs wore on and the Spurs gained experience, they’d mature, harden. Wembanyama as their leader perhaps most of all. There is, in some corners of fandom and analysis, even a thirst for this. For a young team like San Antonio to get the hope and all these softer expressions — aspiration, jitters, overwhelming joy — roughly knocked out of them.
But this is it. In a world where we’re told not to care, a mindset reinforced daily by the blithe destruction and ravaging of people, their humanity, far and close to home; where a social veer to aggressive, self-serving apathy is threatening to become — if not already — the norm, a demonstrative example of a person extolling the opposite is jarring. That initial jolt can be taken as a threat, or as an opportunity to recalibrate. To be a little more willing to put your own vulnerabilities on display in return.
My interpretation of Wembanyama being put up as face, or saviour, of the league is not that the NBA was lacking the hyper-unique, once-in-an-era skillset he has prior to this; it’s that he offers an alternative to the majority viewing experience of the world writ large right now. You can certainly watch to be entertained, but you can also watch to be infused with a wallop of emotion. The scale of those feelings is difficult to simply switch off with the game, chances are that they will flash over you in the days, months, and more to come. Against disorienting, intolerant darkness, Wembanyama is a roving light to borrow from or burn with.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs talks to the media after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Morgan Givens/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Victor Wembanyama is listed as the tallest player in the NBA. The Spurs’ superstar is 7’4, according to the NBA website.
I’m here to tell you that the Spurs are lying, and Wemby is actually even taller than that.
Wembanyama is taking centerstage in the 2026 NBA Finals as his San Antonio Spurs take on the New York Knicks. The French sensation is only in his third season after being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. This is the first playoff appearance of his career — partially because he was diagnosed with a season-ending blood clot in his shoulder last year — and he’s already in the NBA Finals. It’s likely that a lot of casual fans are about watch Wembanyama closely for the first time during the Finals, and many of them will be wondering how tall he actually is. Here’s what we know.
Long-time NBA Draft insider Jonathan Givony reported that Wembanyama measured at 7’4 barefoot in the summer of 2022 when he was only 18 years old. It’s the measurement I always think about before I write down Wemby’s height.
The 18-year old Wembanyama, who recently measured 7-foot-4 barefoot with an 8-foot wingspan, will draw a huge audience of NBA decision makers for the pair of exhibition games in Vegas, marking a significant opportunity for Henderson to stake his claim as the No. 1 pick. https://t.co/46vfPl6Dv2
If Wembanyama measured at 7’4 barefoot when he was 18 years old, then it’s at least somewhat plausible he’s gotten even taller since then. Because basketball is played in shoes, I’d give Wemby another inch or inch-and-half. He’s at least 7’5 on the court, and probably even a little bit taller.
Why would the Spurs lie about Wembanyama’s height? Maybe they don’t have an official measurement considering Wembanyama skipped the 2023 NBA Draft combine. Maybe Wembanyama doesn’t want the truth out there. I have proof that the Spurs have incorrectly labeled the height of other players by making them shorter than barefoot measurements at the combine.
Rookie forward Carter Bryant measured at 6’6.5 barefoot at the 2025 NBA Draft combine.
Yet he’s listed at 6’6 on the Spurs’ official website.
Dylan Harper measured 6’4.5 barefoot at the combine in the same class as Bryant, and the Spurs list him at 6’5. Stephon Castle measured 6’5.5 at the combine, and the Spurs list him at 6’6. The Spurs like to list their players’ barefoot height as their official height, and it seems like they aren’t rounding up on a half inch.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Edey is the second-tallest player in the NBA according to its official website, and he’s listed at 7’3. Edey measured at 7’3.75 at the combine in the same class as Castle.
Looking at photos from Wembanyama’s matchups vs. Edey in the NBA, it sure seems like more than a quarter of an inch taller than Edey.
I always think back to this photo of Wemby standing next to Edey at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup — which is where Wembanyama’s one-sided rivalry with Chet Holmgren began. The French star looks at least an inch or two taller than Edey here, too.
The Spurs said they measured Wembanyama at his introductory press conference after they drafted him in 2023. San Antonio said Wembanyama measured at 7’3.5 barefoot, which would be a half inch shorter than the height Givony reported a year earlier. I tend to believe Givony’s number based on his reputation as the reporter and the visual evidence that Wembanyama is clearly taller than the 7’3.75 Edey.
Donovan Clingan is listed at 7’2, which is tied for the NBA’s fourth-tallest player. Wembanyama clearly looks taller than him in photos when they’ve faced off.
My best guess for Wembanyama’s height in shoes is 7’5.5. Even that might be conservative. The Knicks better have a good game plan to slow down Wemby, because he already feels like the best player in the world.
New York Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson has had one hell of a run in the playoffs.
He’s scoring almost 27 points a night and has propelled New York to the NBA Finals, including back-to-back series sweeps to set up this showdown with the San Antonio Spurs.
Despite that success, Brunson isn’t buying into his own brand.
“We can’t be satisfied just because we’re here,” he told reporters ahead of tonight’s Game 1.
Big Apple basketball bettors are banking on Brunson big time. I dig into his NBA player props for my best Knicks vs. Spurs predictions and NBA picks for June 3.
Jalen Brunson prop pick for Game 1
Jalen Brunson best bet: Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 rebounds
The New York Knicks' burly point guard can also clean the glass and unlike the opening three rounds, Brunson faces a smaller San Antonio Spurs squad.
Beyond 7-foot skyscraper Victor Wembanyama and a few backup bigs, the Spurs’ main rotation doesn’t go beyond 6-foot-7, and that gives smaller guards a fighting chance on the boards (take Wemby out and San Antonio drops to an average height of 6-foot-6.1 – fourth shortest).
Brunson was an active rebounder in three meetings with San Antonio this season, snatching four rebounds in each of those outings while averaging more than seven rebounding chances per game.
He wrangled three or more rebounds in three of the four games against a shorter Cleveland backcourt, upping his chances to 8.0 per contest in the Eastern Conference finals. Projections for Game 1 of the NBA Finals all sit north of three boards with a ceiling at 4.1 rebounds.
My conservative number comes out to 3.4 rebounds, which lands the fair price right on this current ask of Over 2.5 -155.
However, if you lean toward his past production versus San Antonio and the high side of the game models (as well as an expected uptick in pace compared to the past two opponents), Brunson is pegged for 3.75 rebounds. That should have the Over 2.5 listed closer to -200.
Jalen Brunson same-game parlay
I like the Knicks to cover in Game 1, despite the risk of a “rust over rest” factor following an extended layoff. Ahead of tonight, Brunson specifically mentioned the team’s flat start in Game 1 of the Eastern finals following a big break, and I don’t see New York falling into that trap again.
The Knicks have various defensive options to throw at Wembanyama and pose a much bigger threat from outside than OKC, hence the Over on Brunson’s triples. Between battling a smaller Spurs lineup on the boards and burying shots from downtown, Brunson puts in a strong start to the NBA Finals.
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