SAN ANTONIO.- The French star Victor Wembanyama acknowledged this Tuesday that the San Antonio Spurs They still have to “come back to reality” and leave behind the euphoria of their victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder that took them to NBA Finalswhich start on Wednesday.
In his third season in the NBA, the 2.24 meter tall center has led the Spurs to the Finals against the New York Knicks in their first appearance in the playoffs, and they did it in style by dethroning the Thunder, the last league champion, in a dramatic seventh game.
“It’s an emotion I haven’t felt in a long time. I don’t even know how long,” Wembanyama said Tuesday. “We still need to come back to reality and realize that we haven’t done the hardest thing yet.”
The 22-year-old Frenchman was San Antonio’s first selection in the 2023 Draft and is on his way to becoming the new face of the NBA, at the level of Michael Jordan and LeBron James at its best.
Wemby glances at the five San Antonio championship banners hanging from the roof of their stadium, from 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014, when they celebrated the franchise’s glories as coach Gregg Popovichnow president of the Spurs, and stars like Tim Duncan, David Robinsonthe French Tony Parker and the Argentine Manu Ginobili.
Up front, Wemby will have the Knicks hungry for victory, as they seek their first NBA title since 1973.
“It is a great team of experienced players (…) In my opinion, they are right where they should be and each one will have a great desire to succeed,” highlights Wembanyama, who was the Rookie of the Year in 2024 and this season he was unanimously chosen as Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in blocks for the third consecutive season.
Liverpool negotiates with Iraola
He Liverpool and the Spanish coach Andoni Iraola have entered into talks with a view to hiring him to sit on the Reds bench after the departure of Arne Slotdismissed on Saturday, several British media reported this Tuesday.
The approach was initiated by the sports director Richard Hugheswho took Iraola (43 years old) to the Bournemouth in 2023, when the British manager worked for the southern club Englandspecifies the Press Association agency.
Iraola is free of any commitment since his departure at the end of the season from the Cherries, whom he led to an unexpected sixth place in the Premier Leaguewhich gives access to the Europa League.
