Victor Wembanyama Shouts Out ‘Elite' Jalen Brunson Amid NBA Finals

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks came into San Antonio and stole Game 1 of the NBA Finals from Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.

Brunson finished the 105-95 victory with a game-high 30 points, 13 of which came in the fourth quarter.

Wembanyama finished the game with 26 points and 12 rebounds, but was very inefficient in his NBA Finals debut. The 7-foot-4 Frenchman shot 6/21 from the field and 2/9 from behind the 3-point arc, while also committing a game-high six turnovers.

After the game, Wembanyama gave credit to Brunson as an “elite” NBA player.

“He’s an elite player,” Wembanyama said. “We’re going to have many more chances. It’s a first to four series, so we’re going to have time to work on it.”

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Brunson has been one of the best players throughout the 2026 playoffs, leading the Knicks to 12 straight victories. The All-Star point guard is averaging 27.1 points and 6.3 assists per game in the playoffs, notching back-to-back series sweeps over the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Like Wembanyama, Brunson was unanimously awarded MVP in the conference finals.

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“They come ready to play more than any other team that we’ve faced,” Brunson said of the Spurs. “We have the utmost respect for them. We know that we’ve got to be ready for Game 2.”

Game 2 will tipoff at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday.

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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 11:56 AM.