Overview
- The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win the 2026 NBA Finals, closing the series with a 94-90 Game 5 in San Antonio.
- Victor Wembanyama left the court after the clinching game without participating in the customary handshake line, a moment widely noted alongside Jalen Brunson’s immediate handshake with Spurs coach Mitch Johnson.
- Knicks guard Jose Alvarado said he had “mixed emotions” about the walk-off on The Breakfast Club, praising Wembanyama’s in-game competitiveness while calling the postgame exit “a little too crazy.”
- Other players and commentators have publicly criticized the Spurs’ postgame conduct, turning a brief moment into a sustained debate about respect, reputation, and how young stars handle high-pressure losses.
- The exchange shifts part of the Finals story from New York’s dramatic comebacks and title to questions the Spurs must answer in the offseason about leadership, public image and how Wembanyama’s behavior could affect the franchise going forward.