Some of the actions Victor Wembanyama took in the playoffs this year have led people to think hes a dirty player, but former NBA champion Matt Barnes begs to differ.Wemby has been somewhat of a hero for the NBA with his ethical hoops, but we saw a bit of a different side to him, especially during the Knicks series.He executed some really dangerous fouls, most notably one on Jalen Brunson where he elbowed him the throat.He also skipped media availability after a loss and didnt shake the Knicks hans when they won the chip.However Barnes is siding with the French phenomenon.People were taking a lot of cheap shots at him this year, Barnes said on All The Smoke about Wembanyama.I just think he got to a point, end of the season, Im worn out If youre going to take a cheap shot at me, Im going to elbow you in the face, and Im going to mush Brunson. I want that for my superstar.Lets not forget though, Wembanyama is a European and the style of basketball there is very physical, which prompted Barnes argument to go further.[Wembanyama] was an NBA darling since hes been in the league, Barnes said. Then the playoffs come and its almost like some of the media has kind of flipped the whole persona and tried to magnify all the stuff he has and hasnt done.Then I heard about him not shaking hands after the game. Wemby is an emotional person.He added,Wemby wears his heart on his sleeve. If we rewind back, hes on some other st right now. I think there may be a little barrier between him being from somewhere else and us expecting in our culture how people, superstars, should move and what they should and shouldnt do. But I dont think he gives a fk about none of that, at the end of the day.Related Article: Pain Arrives Early for Victor Wembanyama and the SpursREAD MORE: Record Police Presence Planned for Knicks Parade
