Spurs Guard Stephon Castle Sends Clear Message to Victor Wembanyama
The San Antonio Spurs are applying pressure on Victor Wembanyama after arguably the worst playoff game of his young career.
Head coach Mitch Johnson made it clear Wembanyama needed to take more than 15 shots in a game after the former No. 1 overall pick made just 4 of 15 from the field and went 0-for-5 from 3-point range.
“He’s got to take more than 15 shots,” Johnson said. “Even with the [12] free throws, he’s going to have to score more than 20 points for sure.”
But Johnson wasn’t the only one pointing the finger at Wembanyama in hopes of tuning up his aggression for Game 6. Spurs guard Stephon Castle also used his post-game comments to send a message to the team’s best player.
More basketball: Caitlin Clark Reveals ‘Mental Challenge' Stemming From 2025 Injuries
More NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Places Blame in Game 4 Loss to Spurs
“I think they send so many bodies towards him, it’s hard at times,” Castle said. “I think he just wants to make the right play and wants to win. So, it’s tough. But yeah, he’s our best player. We need him to be aggressive. I feel like him being aggressive opens up shots for other guys.”
In two wins, Wembanyama scored at least 33 points and taken at least 22 shots. In the team’s three losses, he’s taken at most 16 shots and scored 26 points or fewer.
More NBA: Thunder Coach Admits Mistake in Blowout Loss to Spurs
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 7:55 AM.