The 2026 NBA Finals were supposed to be Victor Wembanyama’s coronation. Instead, they became a grueling, high-stakes lesson in physical dominance. After a miraculous run that saw the San Antonio Spurs return to the Finals for the first time since 2014, the fairytale ended in a heartbreaking 4-1 series loss to the New York Knicks.
While head coach Mitch Johnson and the organization are rightfully celebrating a season that included a Western Conference title and a Defensive Player of the Year award, the basketball world is zeroing in on one man: Shaquille O’Neal. In classic Shaq fashion, the Hall of Fame center didn’t mince words, delivering a “harsh truth” that every Spurs fan is currently debating: Wembanyama isn’t strong enough—yet.
The Shaq “Weight Room” Mandate
Speaking on ESPN’s Inside The NBA, O’Neal pointed to specific moments in the Finals where the Knicks physically bullied the Spurs’ phenom. As Wembanyama continues to evolve into the league’s most dominant big man, opposing teams are predictably shifting their strategy: they are going to force the issue, body him up, and test his frame every time he touches the ball.
”As good as he is, he’s going to need to get stronger,” O’Neal stated bluntly. “Because when you become a dominant big man, people are going to force [you], and a lot of times he couldn’t handle it. I don’t know what he’s going to do this summer, but he definitely needs to get in that weight room and get stronger.”
It is a critique that has been whispered by analysts for months, but hearing it from the most physically dominant player in modern NBA history carries a different weight. O’Neal watched as Wembanyama was pushed around in Game 5, and he believes that the difference between an All-Star season and a championship ring is quite literally measured in muscle mass.
The Anatomy of a Collapse
The numbers and the narrative don’t lie. The Spurs’ Finals run was defined by a series of agonizing “chokes.” After coughing up a historic 29-point lead in Game 4, San Antonio surrendered a massive 16-point advantage in the clincher. It was a failure of composure and, perhaps, a failure of physical endurance.
Coach Mitch Johnson, however, is choosing to focus on the trajectory. “I think he’s stepped into every moment with the appropriate amount of fearlessness and also respect for the moment,” Johnson said after the Game 5 loss. “He’s bringing his teammates and everybody else along with him. It’s been pretty fun to observe and be a part of.”
Johnson isn’t wrong. To lead a team to the Finals in his first postseason appearance is an extraordinary achievement. But for a player like Wembanyama, who has been dubbed a “cheat code” by the entire league, the standard is perfection. When you dominate the regular season, a 94-90 Finals-clinching loss feels like a catastrophe—and the league’s legends are now holding him to that impossible standard.
What Comes Next?
As the confetti falls for the New York Knicks, the offseason has effectively begun for the Spurs. For Wembanyama, the mission is clear. The accolades, the highlight reels, and the “rookie of the year” type hype are over. Now, it’s about the grind. If Shaq is right—and he usually is when it comes to the paint—Wembanyama’s summer isn’t about endorsements or vacations; it’s about transformation.
The Spurs are knocking on the door of a dynasty, but the league has figured out the “Wemby Plan”: hit him hard, make him uncomfortable, and force him to win through contact. Whether he returns for the 2026-27 season with the extra bulk to fight back will likely define whether the Spurs take home the Larry O’Brien trophy next June.
