Wembanyama rejects villain label but admits he crossed the line at times in the playoffs

San Antonio Spurs French star Victor Wembanyama has said that being cast as a villain during last season's NBA Finals did not bother him. But in an interview with "60 Minutes" he acknowledged that, in showing his competitive edge, he crossed the line at times.

Wembanyama led the Spurs to the Finals in his third NBA season. San Antonio ultimately lost the series to the New York Knicks in five games. Individually, he earned several honours, including his first Defensive Player of the Year award and an All-NBA selection.

The 7-foot-4 star opened the 2026-27 season under enormous expectations. He was a preseason favourite to win the NBA MVP award, while San Antonio entered the season as an odds-on favourite to win the championship.

The postseason also marked a shift in how the public viewed Wembanyama. Once a widely beloved figure, he was increasingly cast by some as a villain.

A series of on-court incidents fuelled claims that Wembanyama had become a "dirty" player. One surfaced in the Western Conference semifinals, when his elbow made contact with then-Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid.

During the Finals, many Knicks fans also grew furious at times over Wembanyama's defence against Jalen Brunson.

Asked about his portrayal as a villain in a clip released on Thursday ahead of Sunday's full interview, Wembanyama told "60 Minutes": "No, it didn't because I'm not paying attention to this during the Finals. I don't think any player on either team really is."

Although he said he tunes out much of the noise, he does not appear eager to let the villain label stick.

He added that last season's playoff run taught him where to draw the line between playing with a competitive edge and going a step farther than he should, acknowledging that he crossed it at times.

Wembanyama said the experience showed him his limits more than anything else.