San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will not be penalized with a flagrant foul for pushing New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. The decision refers to the incident that occurred in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, as confirmed by a league spokesperson to ESPN, through Shams Charania, on Tuesday night.
With the resolution, Wembanyama maintains its tally at two glaring points this postseason. This is crucial, as athletes who accumulate four egregious points are subject to an automatic suspension, something that could significantly impact the player’s run in the Finals.
The play in question happened with 4 minutes and 44 seconds left in the first quarter of Monday’s game. Brunson was trying to make a block on Wembanyama, a 7-foot center, near the free throw line, when the Spurs player turned and pushed the Knicks point guard, knocking him to the ground. No foul was called at the time, despite immediate protests from the New York team.
Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s senior vice president of referee development and training, told ESPN’s “NBA Today” earlier Tuesday that a foul should have been called on the play. However, the league chose not to elevate the penalty from a non-call to a flagrant foul.
Wembanyama’s two glaring points were racked up earlier this postseason after he delivered an elbow to the jaw of Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Naz Reid during Game 4 of the second-round series. The Spurs star was assessed a flagrant 2 foul for excessive contact above the neck, which resulted in his ejection. He did not face any other sanctions, such as a fine.
