The NBA has completed its review of the first-quarter altercation involving Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson from Game 3 of the NBA Finals and has determined that no further disciplinary action will be taken.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the league will not upgrade Wembanyama’s shove of Brunson to a flagrant foul. As a result, the Spurs superstar remains at two flagrant foul points for the postseason and avoids any additional sanctions heading into Game 4.
The play occurred during the opening quarter of San Antonio’s 115-111 victory over New York. Wembanyama appeared to shove Brunson to the floor during a physical sequence that immediately drew attention from fans, analysts, and league observers. The incident became an even bigger talking point when NBA Head of Referees Monty McCutchen acknowledged that a foul had been missed on the play.
Despite that admission, the league ultimately concluded that the contact did not rise to the level necessary to warrant a retroactive flagrant foul assessment.
The ruling is significant for the Spurs, who trail the Finals series 2-1 but gained momentum with their Game 3 victory. Had the play been upgraded, Wembanyama would have moved closer to the NBA’s postseason suspension threshold tied to accumulated flagrant foul points.
Instead, San Antonio will have its franchise cornerstone available without any additional disciplinary concerns as the team prepares for a pivotal Game 4 matchup.
As expected, the decision has generated strong reactions from both fan bases. Knicks supporters argue that the league acknowledged a missed foul but failed to hold Wembanyama accountable, while Spurs fans contend that the contact did not meet the standard for a flagrant infraction.
With the ruling now finalized, attention shifts back to the court, where the Spurs will attempt to even the series and the Knicks will look to regain control of the Finals.
What do you think? Did the NBA make the right call, or should Wembanyama’s shove have been upgraded to a flagrant foul?
