Victor Wembanyama Refuses to Sign Jalen Brunson Jersey in Viral Fan Interaction

As the 2026 Fanatics Fest brought fans and sports stars together, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had an awkward interaction with a young fan. After a heartbreaking loss to the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Championship Finals, Wembanyama seemed unwilling to sign the jersey of the 2026 Finals MVP, Jalen Brunson.

The story took flight when Wembanyama was walking along an aisle full of fans standing by the side. A young fan was holding a Jalen Brunson jersey and asked the Spurs star if he could sign it. Wembanyama then humorously turned down the idea.

"Wemby! Sign my jersey! Sign my jersey, please! Wemby, will you sign my jersey?" the young fan asked while holding Brunson's jersey.

"That's not... That's Jalen Brunson," Wemby responded with a smile, then continued walking away, as per the video posted by FullcourtPass on X.

It's understandable why Wembanyama wouldn't want to sign Brunson's jersey. The Knicks beat the Spurs in a 4-1 Finals series, with Brunson averaging 32.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in the five-game Finals series. The Knicks' win crushed Wembanyama's hopes of a Spurs victory.

It's only natural that Wembanyama won't sign a rival's jersey, especially one that easily beat them in the Finals. Wemby also notoriously recreated the 'Bad Boys' Pistons moment when they walked out on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals after getting swept.

Wembanyama, too, walked straight to the lockers, without shaking hands with the Knicks and Brunson. There was obviously tension concerning the loss, and not signing his direct rivals' jerseys seems like a normal thing to do. But a certain former NBA star believes the loss adds fuel to the Spurs for the better upcoming season.

NBA legend believes Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will have a comeback season

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs arguably had one of the biggest performances last season despite losing in the 2026 NBA Finals. It was a series of firsts for the young Spurs squad.

Wembanyama led San Antonio to its first Finals appearance since 2014. It was also the team's first playoff appearance since 2019. All while notching Wemby's first Finals appearance in his career.

Having that in mind, NBA Hall of Famer and seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady believes that Wembanyama and the Spurs have what it takes to run it back and win the championship next season. He also noted that Wemby's MVP season is about to come on his podcast, Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady.

"If I look at the NBA right now ... I would put my money on the San Antonio Spurs presently constructed because of the disappointment that happened to them this year. Because of Wemby's performance in the Finals, I'm sure he's not happy with the way he played. So that's going to motivate him in the offseason."

Wemby, in the five-game Finals series, averaged 26.0 points along with 11.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. While Wemby may not have scored as much as Brunson, his performances gave the Spurs a fighting chance. McGrady's predictions reflect this playmaking prowess and scoring ability.

"(Victor Wembanyama) is going to win Defensive Player of the Year. He's gonna win MVP. He's gonna win the in-season Tournament MVP. ... I'm going San Antonio Spurs to be right back in that position and to win a championship," McGrady added.

We wouldn't be surprised if McGrady's predictions turned out to be true. Last season, Wemby finished in third place in the MVP race. If the Spurs do end up winning the NBA Cup, the towering Frenchman would undoubtedly be crowned the MVP, unless someone else on the Spurs steps up and outshines him. As for the championship, that remains to be seen.