Victor Wembanyama Makes Emotional Gregg Popovich Confession After Game 7 Win Vs OKC

The moment Game 7 between the OKC Thunder and the Spurs concluded, Victor Wembanyama got emotional. The French star was crying in jubilation as he celebrated the hard-earned win with his teammates, and the outpouring of emotions continued into the postgame press conference.

During his session with the media, though, those emotions were focused elsewhere. Instead of talking about himself or the win, he found himself answering questions about Gregg Popovich—the Spurs' former head coach, who is now the team's president.

A reporter asked Wemby a two-part question about Pop. The first part was him asking Wemby if this Finals trip might mean something to Pop. He followed it up by asking Wemby how important it was to him to have this moment for the ex-Spurs head coach.

Wemby did not answer immediately. He covered his face with the microphone and his hands, and he paused to compose himself. After a beat, he finally raised his head and began speaking.

"I can't answer that question, I don't know what it means for him," Wemby said. "That's a guy whose got more experience as a coach than almost anybody. He goes through some things we can't even imagine."

"So, I need to call him," Wemby added. "I need to see him, I need to talk to him. I don't know if he's ever going to do an interview about it. When I talk to him, it's only going to be stored in my head. Except if I record it in secret, but, I need to talk to him so quick."

Before Mitch Johnson, Gregg Popovich was the Spurs' head coach for 29 seasons. He was the architect of the dynasty that won 50 or more games in 18 straight seasons and 5 titles during that run.

5 games into Victor Wembanyama's sophomore season, though, he had to step down due to health concerns. Last summer, he officially retired from coaching after he suffered a stroke. Although he did remain with the Spurs, transitioning to the role of team president.

While Wemby displayed a lot of emotions after their Game 7 win, he also knows that the job is not done.

Victor Wembanyama Looks Ahead to Winning an NBA Championship

The San Antonio Spurs are now just one series win away from winning the championship. For the franchise, it's not an unfamiliar place to be in. They've been to the Finals 6 times before, winning 5 of them. For most of the Spurs' current players, it will be their first time.

Despite his youth and lack of NBA Finals experience, though, Victor Wembanyama recognizes that this is a unique opportunity. During his postgame press conference, he gave a glimpse into his mindset ahead of his biggest challenge so far.

"Winning the Larry O'Brien, it's a childhood dream," Wemby said. "Having a real shot at it, having a chance, a tangible chance at winning it, realizing a dream. It's a lifetime chance, you never know when it's gonna happen again."

"The day we win it, speaking for myself, it's going to be an amazing day of a realization of a dream," he continued. "It's hard to put into words. It's almost like the meaning of my life."

Winning the NBA Finals won't come easy, though. While the San Antonio Spurs had a better regular-season record than the New York Knicks, they were one of the teams that beat them in the regular season.

They split their regular-season series 1-1, and New York also beat them for the NBA Cup. Additionally, the Knicks are coming into the Finals with a ton of momentum, having already won 11 straight games.

The Knicks are also entering the series well-rested, having last played on May 25. Meanwhile, the Spurs are coming off a grueling 7-game series.