Charles Barkley remains high on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs entering the 2026-27 season, but the NBA legend did not appreciate how the superstar handled the end of the 2026 NBA Finals.
During a recent interview with Kyle Odegard of Casino Guru News, Barkley called out Wembanyama over his actions following San Antonio's Finals loss to the New York Knicks. While Barkley described the moment as “disrespectful,” he made it clear that it did not change his overall opinion of the Spurs star.
“I love Wemby. I was disappointed with the way he finished the Finals, the way he disrespected the press and not congratulating the winners. But I think he’s a great kid and he’s got a great future.”
Wembanyama and the Spurs reached the NBA Finals after a breakout 2025-26 campaign. San Antonio finished the regular season with a 62-20 record before advancing through the Western Conference playoffs and ultimately falling to New York in five games.
Despite his criticism of Wembanyama's post-Finals conduct, Barkley believes San Antonio is positioned to remain near the top of the Western Conference.
Charles Barkley sees Spurs, Thunder controlling Western Conference
Elsewhere in the interview, Barkley dismissed the Houston Rockets as a serious threat to San Antonio and the Oklahoma City Thunder. When discussing the Western Conference hierarchy, he made his outlook clear.
Article Continues Below“It’s over with. It’s all about OKC and San Antonio for the next few years in the West.”
Barkley went even further when discussing how long the two teams could remain at the forefront of the conference.
“It’s going to be between those two teams the next five years, easily.”
Oklahoma City won the NBA championship in 2025 before posting a 64-18 record and securing the Western Conference's top seed last season. San Antonio then surpassed the Thunder in the playoffs on its way to the Finals.
That run raised expectations for Wembanyama and the Spurs heading into 2026-27. Although Barkley took issue with how the young star handled the conclusion of the Finals, he still views Wembanyama as a cornerstone of a San Antonio team capable of competing atop the West for years to come.