Here's a lesson about being a superstar in the NBA: You don't get to pick when you face the music. Victor Wembanyama learned that the hard way when the league issued him a warning for violating media access rules after the Spurs' Game 5 loss to Oklahoma City.
According to Shams Charania, Wemby bypassed his media obligations Tuesday night, ducking out of the locker room without answering questions as his team now faces elimination down 3-2 in the series.
Look, I get it. You just lost a crucial playoff game. You're facing elimination. The questions are going to be tough, maybe even uncomfortable. But this is part of the job, folks. When you're the franchise player, when you're making max money, when you're the face of the organization - you have to stand there and answer the questions.
This is about accountability. LeBron faces the media after every loss. Giannis does it. Steph does it. The greats understand that talking to reporters after a tough loss is part of what makes you a professional. It's how you build trust with fans and show your teammates you're not hiding.
Wemby is only 22 years old, so there's time to learn this lesson. But the NBA was right to issue this warning. The media obligations exist for a reason - they're written into the collective bargaining agreement. Players have to be available for a certain amount of time after games, especially in the playoffs.
What makes this worse is the timing. Game 5 was a rough one for the Spurs. They're now down 3-2 and facing elimination on their home court. The questions would have been tough: What went wrong? How do you respond? What's your mindset for Game 6? Those are fair questions that deserve answers.
By skipping out, Wembanyama put his teammates in an awkward position. Now they have to field questions about why their star player wasn't available. It becomes a distraction at the worst possible time.