Charles Barkley Says It Was Special to See Victor Wembanyama in Tears After WCF Win

Victor Wembanyama may have just produced the best basketball of his young career, at least for now. In the Western Conference Finals, he led the San Antonio Spurs past the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder and into their first NBA Finals since 2014. Along the way, he claimed Western Conference Finals MVP honors, and at the end of it all, he was overcome with emotion.

The Frenchman broke down in tears as soon as the fourth quarter ended. Hall of Famer Charles Barkley understands just how special the moment must have been for the young star. It showed how much he cares about the game and how deeply he loves what he does.

"To see his emotion, crying the way he was, I'm like, 'Man, this is so special and so awesome,'" Barkley said on Mad Dog Sports Radio. "And then after the press conference, he's like, 'I have to win. I'd rather die than lose.' I'm like, 'Damn.' This is so great."

It was a hard-fought victory for the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. At times, it looked like the Thunder had the series under control, but a collective defensive effort to keep reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in check, combined with Wembanyama's brilliance, helped San Antonio get over the line.

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged more than 31 points per game during the regular season, but the Spurs held him to around 25 in the series. Wembanyama, meanwhile, averaged 28 points and nearly 12 rebounds per game, making a strong case that he was the dominant superstar throughout the matchup. And he did it all despite many fans feeling that the officiating left plenty to be desired.

Most of the calls seemed to go in the Thunder's favor, many fans alleged. At times, even the obvious ones. Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson called for an out-of-bounds challenge in Game 5, only for the officials to ignore it. Then there was the moment when Isaiah Hartenstein appeared to pull Stephon Castle's hair in an effort to prevent him from grabbing a rebound. No foul was called, leaving many furious.

But the Spurs didn't sit back and sulk. They were 3-2 down in the series, but won the last two to book a date with the New York Knicks in the Finals.

“Winning the Larry O’Brien is a childhood dream, and having a real shot at it, having a tangible chance at winning it, it’s a lifetime chance,” he said in an interview after Game 7.

“You never know when it’s gonna happen again. But the day we win it, speaking for myself, it’s going to be an amazing day, the realization of a dream.”

Another NBA Legend Gets Candid on Victor Wembanyama's Game 7 Tears

While Charles Barkley sees Victor Wembanyama's emotional breakdown in a positive manner, basketball Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett thinks otherwise. In a recent episode of his podcast, 'KG Certified,' the Big Ticket called out Wemby for crying.

In Garnett's opinion, instead of getting too worked up on winning the Western Conference Finals, he feels that Wembanyama should focus on winning four more games in the NBA Finals.

"He's going through some bulls**t," Garnett said. "He's crying in the motherf**king Western Conference Finals. That was too emotional for me. Man, he has four more games to try to get. You gotta go through the finals now. You still need to be even-kill right here."

It's an interesting criticism, particularly because Garnett was the one who trained Wembanyama in one-on-one sessions before the 2025-26 season began. Back then, he praised the French big man for his attention to detail, work ethic, and ability to correct his mistakes.

Garnett, however, has built a reputation as someone who loves playing mind games, and his lashing out at Wembanyama might just be a way of bringing out an even stronger competitive spirit in him.

As of this writing, the odds are stacked against the New York Knicks. The Spurs are the favorites to win the NBA Finals, with +310 odds. While not always accurate, if Wembanyama can continue to perform aggressively in the finals, he could turn those odds into a reality for San Antonio.