Shaq calls out Wembanyama: “If he wants to win, he needs to live in the weight room”
Shaquille O’Neal has a message for Victor Wembanyama: before thinking about winning an NBA championship, he needs to lock himself in the weight room and add muscle
Victor Wembanyama’s first historic playoff run came to an end against the relentless physicality of the NBA Finals. While the San Antonio Spurs reflect on what they could have done differently against the New York Knicks, who captured their first championship in 53 years, a blunt verdict arrived from the Inside the NBA studio courtesy of Shaquille O’Neal.
The Lakers legend, a player who built his career on physical dominance in the paint, didn’t mince words when discussing the limitations Wembanyama showed during the biggest moments of the series.
As great as he is, Wembanyama absolutely needs to get stronger. When you become a dominant big man in this league, opponents start getting physical with you, and in these Finals we saw that he often struggled to handle that contact. I don’t know what his plans are this summer, but he absolutely needs to lock himself in the weight room and put on muscle
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaq specifically pointed to several key possessions in Game 5, a 94-90 Knicks victory, where the French star was physically displaced by New York defenders. According to O’Neal, Wembanyama’s lack of strength and bulk was the biggest factor holding him back in the most important moments of the series.
A series that ultimately became a psychological nightmare for San Antonio. After blowing a historic 29-point lead in Game 4, the Spurs suffered another collapse in the decisive game, surrendering a 16-point advantage before watching the Knicks complete the comeback and clinch the title.
Despite the painful ending, head coach Mitch Johnson strongly defended the growth of his franchise cornerstone, who led the team all the way to the Finals in his very first postseason appearance.
Victor’s growth this season has been nothing short of extraordinary. He approached every single moment with the perfect balance of confidence and respect for the magnitude of the stage, while always staying true to himself. The most impressive part was the way he brought his teammates and the entire organization along with him. Watching that process and being part of it has been incredible
Mitch Johnson
The foundation in San Antonio remains elite. Wembanyama, who finished his first NBA Finals averaging 26 points, 11 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, and 42% shooting from the field, showed that he has the talent to redefine the game. But the lesson delivered by the Knicks, along with Shaq’s not-so-subtle advice, points toward the next step in his evolution: before he can win a championship, the Spurs’ superstar must learn how to withstand the physical battle that comes with it.