Victor Wembanyama is not holding back on Desmond Bain

Victor Vembanyama might as well say that to the rest of the NBA. At this particular moment, San Antonio Spurs‘ was talking about a generational talent Desmond Bane.

“I know they do it because they don’t want to play the game. They don’t want to play the basketball game.”

It was Wemby’s answer to Fr Orlando Magic the physicality of the guard in the fourth quarter a Spurs win 112-103.

“I don’t think I was frustrated,” the French phenom continued.

In addition to the defense, the Magic’s top scorer for the night played at Vembanyama in that final period, Bane received a flagrant foul as he dropped his shoulder into Wemba as the Spurs center went down the field.

“Our job on offense is to make it a basketball game, so that’s how we’re going to beat them,” said the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft.

“They do it because they don’t want to play a basketball game.”
Our job on offense is to make it a basketball game. That’s how we will defeat them…”⬇

– Wembi yes @RealTomPetrini on the physicality of Desmond Bain in V v Orl. Bane, flagrant elbow by Vick late in the 3rd#Spurs pic.twitter.com/7K1lKGKSE4f

— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) February 2, 2026

The Spurs’ season leading scorer outscored San Antonio with 25 points in their 33rd win of the year.

Victor Vembanyama says his health is good

It’s no secret that teams want to get physical with Wemby. By this point, it had become a consensus on how best to get him out of the game. It’s a reality the 7-foot-7 Spur acknowledges.

“It’s not just this game, it’s like this every night.”

The Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, and New Orleans Pelicans, among others, have made efforts to target Vembanyama. By moving him out of position, invading his space and hacking every time he touches the ball, each of those teams has beaten San Antonio at least once this season.

That kind of activity doesn’t bode well for a frame that weighs south of 250 pounds at its height. So far this season, Wemby has suffered various injuries after a year that ended last February due to blood clots in his right shoulder.

Before the game against the Magic, Vembanyama was initially listed as questionable due to soreness in his left calf. The two-time NBA All-Star selection missed a month from mid-November to mid-December with a calf strain. Recently he stayed about a week to start the calendar year after hyper-extending the left knee.

When the reporter started by asking if any of the injuries might be bothering him, Vembanyama interrupted him by asking, “What kind of injury?”

Told that the question was focused on sore calves, Wemby responded with uncertainty.

“I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s related to my injury earlier. As a precaution, we’ll almost assume it’s related.”

The Spurs win against the Magic limited day the team started in Charlotte, North Carolina, before a detour took them to Atlanta, Georgia. They arrived in the Alamo City just hours before the 8:00 a.m. Central time tip-off.

“Knowing all the special conditions, it’s been a busy day. I mean, we’ve been up since about 6:00 a.m. Charlotte time. It’s close to midnight now. So, yeah, a lot of caution in that report.”

Beware, Vembayama’s opponents do not prioritize.