Victor Wembanyama is willing to accept the title of New York villain. He is not ready to place himself beside Trae Young.
"I guess," Wembanyama said when asked about his new status. "I'm nowhere near Trae Young's level."
The comment followed San Antonio's 115-111 win at Madison Square Garden, which cut New York's NBA Finals lead to 2-1. Wembanyama recorded 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks as the Spurs ended the Knicks' 13-game postseason winning streak.
Young set a difficult standard during Atlanta's 2021 playoff series against New York. He leaned into the crowd's hostility, bowed on the Knicks logo and remains the subject of chants years later.
Wembanyama now has his first major moment as the opponent at MSG. He knows the gap between one Finals win and permanent New York infamy is still large.
San Antonio will remain in New York for Game 4. Another Wembanyama performance could move the comparison from a postgame joke toward something Knicks fans remember.
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