New York Knicks fans were piling on Victor Wembanyama on Friday after the San Antonio Spurs star agreed to a new deal.
Several reports confirmed Friday that Wemby plans to sign a 4-year rookie max contract extension worth $252 million. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Wembanyama settled for the 25 percent maximum extension rather than include escalators in the deal that could raise the figure to $303 million should he hit certain benchmarks next season.
Wembanyama reportedly made the conscious decision to potentially forego tens of millions to give the Spurs an “increased ability to build a sustained title contender around him.”
Knicks fans felt like the move sounded familiar, with Jalen Brunson similarly leaving money on the table to help his team retain more of its key players. Several fans clowned Wemby for supposedly trying to emulate Brunson.
Victor Wembanyama got beat so bad by Jalen Brunson he’s trying to become him. pic.twitter.com/Hwg9ZLUOPl
— Big Knick Energy (@BigKnickEnergy_) July 10, 2026
Everyone wanna be like Jalen Brunson lmaooo https://t.co/oG1iZLH7OK
— VolpE6 (@DirtyCouches) July 11, 2026
They’re calling it the Brunson Blueprint from what I hear https://t.co/PNH957ErkP
— OG Anunoby Addict (@PlayoffBoundNYK) July 10, 2026
He’s not built like Jalen Brunson to take a discount
— Marshall Green (@MarshallGreen_) July 10, 2026
Knicks in 5 https://t.co/nPc8YziysX
Brunson signed a 4-year, $156.5 million extension with the Knicks in 2024. He could’ve potentially waited one more offseason to become eligible for a 5-year, $269 million pact, which would have been $113 million more in guaranteed money.
Wembanyama’s move wasn’t exactly the same thing, as he would need to either make an All-NBA team, win the Defensive Player of the Year Award, or be crowned league MVP to bump his deal up by about $50 million. But barring injury, Wemby would almost certainly earn at least one of those accolades next season.
Knicks fans may call Wembanyama a copycat. But potentially sacrificing $51 million in additional salary is no small feat, especially for someone still 22 years of age. Spurs legend Tim Duncan did it before Brunson, anyway.
