San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama has drawn attention to himself with his solid play throughout his first NBA season, and on Saturday night he did so again, this time for a NSFW moment on live TV.
The 20-year-old center was on TNT speaking with the Inside The NBA crew in Indianapolis during their broadcast of NBA’s All-Star weekend and was asked by host Ernie Johnson for the best example of Spurs’ head coach Gregg Popovich being tough on him in his debut season.
The former French hoops prodigy went on to describe a film session with Popovich and the rest of the team from the first few months of the season.
“When we talk privately, he knows like I understand,” Wembanyama said. “I’m smart. I’m trying to do my best.”
He followed with the example of Popovich pointing out a mistake Wembanyama had made during a game.
“Sometimes he tries to send a message,’’ Wembanyama said. “I remember like two three months into the season, we are in the film in front of everybody, and he goes, ‘What the f–k was that? This is what you were doing since day one.’ So yeah, sometimes he tries to send messages.”
Warning: Graphic language
The rest of the show’s cast, including Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, laughed at the expletive, which made it onto the live broadcast.
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, who turned 20 in January and was the first overall pick in last year’s draft, was in Indianapolis as part of the weekend’s skills challenge on Team Top Picks along with Anthony Edwards and Paolo Banchero. He also played in the Rising Stars game on Friday.
He’s averaging 20.5 points per game, as well as 10 rebounds, 3.2 assists and a league-leading 3.2 blocks.
The Spurs, however, are 11-44 and in last place in the Western Conference.
