Ahead of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, you won’t find many doubting the on-court greatness established by Victor Wembanyama.
However, when it comes to his development off the court, there remain questions. At least, according to NBA analyst Brian Windhorst, who issued a bold challenge to Wembanyama ahead of Game 1 on Wednesday night. While appearing on ESPN’s Get Up, Windhorst claimed that, even if the Spurs star is to help his team defeat the Knicks and take home the first NBA title of his career, he must continue to prove himself before becoming the new face of the NBA.
Windhorst claimed that we have never seen a non-American player rise to become the most recognizable name in the league. But Wembanyama is certainly on the precipice of that after guiding San Antonio within four wins of a championship, which would be the team’s first since 2014.
“That would be a big test,” said Windhorst regarding Wembanyama’s quest to elevate his status. “If he wins, can you be that type of global icon in America when you’re not an American?”
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Windhorst prefaced his comments with evidence supporting the case for Wembanyama becoming the face of the league. Windhorst mentioned Wembanyama’s size and skill, along with his charisma as factors that would put him in a position to become the sport’s most recognizable icon.
Still, the ESPN analyst’s point rings true. Most recently, the closest an international player has come to being the league’s leading man is Giannis Antetokounmpo after his NBA Finals victory in 2021, which was the Milwaukee Bucks’ first championship in a half-century. And even then, it wasn’t all that close, with LeBron James and Stephen Curry remaining near the height of their powers.
For Wembanyama to rise above other superstars with claim to the throne, such as an aging LeBron, Curry, two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards and others, it would take a championship victory and then some. But if there is any player currently capable of rising in the ranks as rapidly as we’ve seen from an international player, it’s the Spurs’ 7-foot-4 stalwart.
The start of the Spurs and Knicks championship series is set to tip off on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.
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