San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama speaks to the media following his team's win over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to break their 18-game losing streak.
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00:00 Hey, how's it going?
00:05 Good.
00:06 Did this feel different than the other wins this season because of everything that happened?
00:11 Yeah, you know, it's been a minute.
00:14 So, yeah, it does feel good.
00:16 Kind of felt like a playoff game to me.
00:18 But, you know, of course we have to feel good about it.
00:22 So, we love that feeling, want to repeat it.
00:26 So, yeah, we're going to keep working our ass off.
00:29 What did you like about what Devin did tonight?
00:32 I mean, what I like, everything went in.
00:36 I mean, it did look like it.
00:38 Sometimes it felt like we didn't have to do nothing.
00:41 And, like, sometimes I think if he didn't make those shots, we would have -- I mean,
00:47 they would have had more runs, you know, but he kept -- by himself, he kept the lead for us.
00:54 First game against LeBron, what were your thoughts about that?
00:58 What were you ever starstruck at times about as you grew up watching?
01:01 You said starstruck?
01:02 Yeah.
01:03 I didn't know that word.
01:04 Which means kind of like I'm seeing a star in front of you.
01:07 Like people are when they see you.
01:08 [Laughter]
01:12 I mean, I would have thought I would feel some type of way, but honestly on the court,
01:20 I was just trying to win, trying to defend and make the right play.
01:25 So, no, I didn't have no feelings on the court.
01:28 Were you able to have the eyes on you in the corner when he had you?
01:31 Sorry?
01:32 Did you call the eyes watching you on that?
01:34 Of course, yeah, you know.
01:37 Yeah, it was a very high arcing shot.
01:40 Were you able to have a conversation with him at all either before or after the game?
01:43 No.
01:44 Can you talk about the persistency of your team, just the way you guys kind of dealt with this,
01:49 you know, long losing streak and now it's finally over, just what it means to you guys to get that win
01:53 and just get to celebrate together?
01:55 Of course I wish it would have been over earlier, that streak.
01:59 But it just shows character and, you know, we never put our head down, we never gave up.
02:09 And, you know, we're back now where I'm sure there's going to be many more this season and in the future.
02:15 So I like that, you know, we could have--the easy option would have been to just give up, you know.
02:24 But nobody in the locker room has had that attitude, and I'm glad we got the group we have.
02:30 I think this is the fourth game you guys have used the new starting lineup.
02:33 What are your thoughts on how that is working so far?
02:36 I mean, it's, you know--yeah, it's changed, of course.
02:43 It's changed a lot of rotations, but we've been--I would say we've been better in some areas.
02:49 But it just, to me, feels normal, you know, as we learn to play more and more with each other.
02:54 But I feel like we, you know, we'll be good some way or another.
02:59 What do you think the areas are that it feels good or feels like it's working?
03:02 So defensively, you know, I think we--especially tonight, we've stepped up.
03:08 And also, yeah, I would say--yeah, I'd say, like, defensively being--staying locked in.
03:17 When they made the runs after you guys got up by 25 and then it's down to four,
03:22 and then it's like third quarter, they make a run again.
03:25 Do you notice anything that you guys did differently?
03:27 I mean, obviously, aside from make shots and make a couple defensive stands,
03:29 but anything different among you guys when they were making those pushes?
03:32 Yes, yeah.
03:34 You know, they run that zone almost the whole game, and it's--sometimes--I mean,
03:40 at times we just fell into the trap of not moving the ball enough, not, you know,
03:46 doing .5s, cutting, and all that stuff, not rolling all the way to the basket.
03:52 And it's just the basic mistakes you make on the zone.
03:56 But I'm glad we corrected those mistakes, and the coach told us--kept telling us about it,
04:01 and we ended up doing it.
04:03 And in terms of you guys being able to answer those runs.
04:05 Yes, yeah, yeah.
04:07 Hop and Kelton mentioned Jeremy's defense on LeBron.
04:11 What did you think of it?
04:12 Does he seem more relaxed now that he doesn't have a point guard doing those?
04:16 To me, like, our defense sometimes was the best part of the game, you know.
04:24 Besides Devin's 36 points, of course, sometimes I was getting so hyped up just seeing us.
04:31 I mean, forcing them to take bad shots and causing turnovers and stuff.
04:37 So I think--yeah, I think it was a very big part of the game,
04:42 and Jeremy put some crazy pressure on their best players.
04:46 And it's--I mean, he's a big--he has a big key role in our rotations,
04:53 and I'm glad he has the opportunity to show his qualities like that.
04:58 You mentioned it feeling like a playoff game.
05:00 Your reaction there at the end, putting the two arms up,
05:03 did it feel like it was just a month and a half worth of release just in that moment?
05:07 Yes.
05:08 You know, it's not like I forgot about that feeling, but, you know.
05:14 And of course I never want to lose again, but it's going to happen,
05:17 and we've got to enjoy those moments, you know,
05:19 because this is what I'm addicted to winning.
05:22 This is what I love, and, you know, it's what I live for.
05:26 So I have to show it, you know.
05:29 What changed in the third quarter for you guys tonight?
05:32 Third quarter?
05:34 Compared to previous.
05:37 You know, I mean, I would say we had a normal third quarter for once.
05:42 [laughter]
05:44 And, you know, I'm glad that happened.
05:48 It's just--I think tonight was the night everybody was connected, you know,
05:54 and everybody was locked in, and we all wanted it, you know.
05:58 We had a team dinner last night, some good team bonding, and, you know,
06:05 now that we've got our eyes on the goal again,
06:09 I'm sure the spirit is going to be even better.
06:12 What did you guys have for dinner last night?
06:14 Italian.
06:15 Italian?
06:16 Yeah.
06:17 Before that team dinner, you were--I think you became the world's tallest Santa Claus.
06:20 [laughter]
06:22 What was that like yesterday?
06:24 I think so, too.
06:25 It was very fun, you know, very fun,
06:27 especially seeing, you know, how grateful and how happy just the little kids are
06:34 for some stuff that really just takes us five minutes here and there, you know.
06:38 We go to a house for five minutes, to another one, and, you know,
06:42 it's just great activities, and it's just, you know, giving back.
06:47 It's easy, and it makes people happy.
06:49 Thanks, Vic.
06:50 We'll take a couple in French.
06:51 Canapos, go ahead.
06:52 [speaking in French]
06:55 [speaking in French]
06:58 [speaking in French]
07:00 [speaking in French]
07:06 [speaking in French]
07:09 [speaking in French]
07:12 [speaking in French]
07:14 [speaking in French]
07:40 [speaking in French]
08:09 Thanks, mate.
08:10 - Stars.
08:10 - Stars.
08:11 - Stars.
08:12 - I remember.