The San Antonio Spurs may have forced a Game 7, but Victor Wembanyama has become the most hated man in Oklahoma City. Thunder fans are up in arms, accusing the French phenom of crossing the line with dirty plays and demanding the NBA step in with discipline.
The controversy reached a boiling point after Wembanyama's monster Game 6 performance—28 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks—kept the Spurs alive. But it wasn't his stat line that had Thunder fans seething; it was a first-quarter incident where he appeared to pull Lu Dort's hair. Many believe it should have been a flagrant foul, and video replays have only fueled the fire.
Social media erupted with calls for punishment. "All with no additional punishment from the NBA, Wemby being donned as the face of 'ethical basketball,' and the narrative from the series being the Thunder whistle and Shai falling in a series they're shooting less FT with both sides playing physically," one fan posted. "We're witnessing the biggest mass gaslighting event the sport has ever seen."
Another fan wrote, "At what point will Wemby suffer even the slightest whiff of a consequence for any of this stuff? No suspension or even a nominal fine for ***any***of it is crazy." The sentiment was echoed widely: "I am for physical basketball and can certainly make the game interesting but deliberately trying to hurt other players by targeting is beyond what basketball is about and there should be consequences for it."
This isn't an isolated incident, either. Critics point to a pattern of behavior, including an intentional elbow to Naz Reid's neck, a controversial whisper to teammates that some interpreted as ordering hard fouls—detailed in this report—and skipping mandatory postgame media, which already earned him a warning from the league (more on that here).
The tension has only grown as the series heads to a decisive Game 7 on Saturday. While the NBA has so far declined to take action beyond a warning, Thunder fans are convinced the league is protecting its new superstar. One fan compiled a list of grievances: "In the last 3 weeks Wemby has:– Intentionally elbowed Naz Reid in the neck– Called for bench players to try to hurt Thunder players with hard fouls after losing– Skipped mandatory postgame media– Yanked Lu Dort's hair (the exact play Spurs fans wanted IHart arrested for)…"
Despite the controversy, the Spurs are brimming with confidence. Guard Stephon Castle made that clear after Game 6. "We all want this. It's right there in front of us," Castle said. "We feel like collectively that we're better than this team."
Game 7 tips off at 8 p.m. ET in Oklahoma City, with the winner advancing to the Western Conference Finals. For Thunder fans, the hope is that the league finally holds Wembanyama accountable—before he gets another chance to play the villain.
