San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama could be facing a fine after his postgame actions in Game 5.
The Spurs fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 127-114 Tuesday. San Antonio now trails the best-of-seven Western Conference finals, 3-2.
After the match, reporters waited to gather Wembanyama's thoughts on the tough loss. However, the two-time All-Star never showed.
Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express-News noted the Frenchman's absence on X.
NBA rules require players to be available to the media after the final buzzer. Skipping that availability puts players at risk of a costly league-issued fine.
Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Wembanyama recorded his worst performance of the heated series against the Thunder. After scoring 33 points in the Spurs' dominant Game 4 victory, he shot 4-of-15 from the field Tuesday night, including 0-of-5 from three. He finished with 20 points and three blocked shots in Game 5.
His teammates tried their best to pick up the slack. Stephon Castle scored 24, and Julian Champagnie had 22 points on four made three-pointers. Reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson added 15 off the bench.
But the Spurs still had no answer to the Thunder's scoring avalanche. Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with 32 points and nine assists.
A visibly difficult night on the court, combined with the Spurs now facing elimination, likely left Wembanyama frustrated. His postgame absence could carry consequences.
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler was fined $25,000 in 2023 for failing to participate in required media availability. This occurred following Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals while he was still a member of the Miami Heat.
Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks also received the same $25,000 fine that year during his tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies. Like Butler, he also shunned his media responsibilities.
The Spurs await the league's decision on whether Wembanyama faces similar punishment.
