themirror
New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado understood Victor Wembanyamas reaction but insisted refusing to shake hands was too crazy even after losing the NBA Finals.
Last week, the Knicks clinched their first NBA championship since 1973 by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games.
New York finished 16-3 in the postseason, an .842 winning percentage that matched the 2024 Boston Celtics for second-best since the format changed to best-of-seven series in all NBA playoff rounds beginning in 2003.
The Golden State Warriors went 16-1 in 2017.
Jalen Brunson averaged 32.6 points in the Knicks five-game victory, winning MVP honors in the process.
He scored 45 points in the clinching Game 5 win and ultimately outshone Wembanyama , who struggled against Karl-Anthony Towns.
Following the 94-90 loss, Wembanyama walked straight down the tunnel after the final buzzer without shaking hands or congratulating any of his opponents.
The Frenchman who had finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks but shot just 8-of-17 from the field was on the losing end of yet another second-half implosion from the Spurs , who surrendered a 16-point lead for the second time in the series.
While he sympathizes with Wembanyamas competitive nature, Alvarado was not impressed by the behavior.
He told 105.1 FMs The Breakfast Club : I got mixed emotions.
Im a competitor too, but I also stare my enemies down.
I look forward to them, and I shake their hand.
Its a game.
You dont like the moment.
You lost probably the biggest game of your career, but youre going to have more moments.
I feel like the way he did it was a little too crazy for me.
He added: I loved how he competed during the game.
Obviously, people didnt like how he was being aggressive, but were fighting for something.
Between the lines, I feel like anything is cool.
Outside the lines, shake hands and call it what it is.
Follow us on X for the best and latest in sports news Fans online also did not rate Wembanyamas decision not to congratulate the Knicks on their championship win.
One user wrote: Nobody tell me nothing about Wemby, and the spurs.
Total classless move to walk off without shaking hands.
Wembanyama, the newly-crowned Defensive Player of the Year, was never going to be celebrated in New York during the NBA Finals.
But he became something of a villain, getting away with physical play and one potential flagrant foul on Jalen Brunson.
Across the series, Wembanyamas four flagrant foul points during this series had placed him one away from an automatic one-game suspension.
His frustration throughout the Finals was evident, and it all shone through when he decided not to shake hands.
It was also not the first time in this postseason that Wembanyama had attracted attention for his behavior toward officials and opponents.
The NBA officially warned him after skipping media availability following Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.