Victor Wembanyama at center of chaos as one professional wrestler fires back over MVP disrespect claim

Victor Wembanyama heads into the 2026 NBA Finals widely viewed as the leading contender for Finals MVP honors. His postseason dominance has already been recognized, as he previously secured the Western Conference Finals MVP award.

It also strengthens the narrative that the San Antonio Spurs superstar may also have deserved the regular-season Kia MVP over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. However, analyst Skip Bayless dismissed the idea of Wembanyama being the league’s most valuable player, even in light of his impressive Western Conference Finals production, where he averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Wemby didn’t look like an MVP. He didn't look dominant. SGA completely outplayed him,” Bayless said.

Those comments quickly drew backlash online, and even professional wrestler Royce Keys fired back almost instantly with a sharp three-word response aimed at Bayless.

“Shut yo — up,” Keys tweeted.

Wembanyama and the Spurs made their statement the only way that truly matters. They opened the Western Conference Finals with a win in Oklahoma City and ultimately closed the series in the same building. Over the course of the season, the Spurs won eight of their 12 games against the Thunder, including the ones that proved most important in the postseason.

As for Wembanyama, his performances in key moments left little doubt about his value, and he was awarded the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Trophy as Western Conference Finals MVP. Whether it was his explosive 41-point, 24-rebound outing in Game 1 or his steady 22-point, seven-rebound effort in the decisive Game 7, he delivered at every critical turn.

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