SLIM

⚠️ Warning: Long rant incoming. I’ve been waiting for someone in the national NBA media to address this, but apparently nobody wants to. Why was Luka Doncic’s first NBA Finals loss treated as proof that his style of basketball couldn’t win a championship, while Victor Wembanyama’s was treated as another step toward greatness? Luka averaged 29.2/8.8/5.6 against a 64-win Celtics team, and the national media spent the next two years questioning his defense, conditioning, leadership and whether his style of basketball could ever win a championship. Wemby loses 4–1 to a 53-win Knicks team, struggles down the stretch, and suddenly we’re reminded that even Jordan and LeBron needed time. It’s all about growth, valuable lessons and gaining experience. And this hypocrisy doesn’t end with the Finals. It carries directly into the MVP conversation. Luka’s individual brilliance is constantly filtered through questions about his defense, playing style, team success and whether he can actually win. Wemby’s brilliance is celebrated as evidence of what he’s becoming. His shortcomings are treated as things he’ll eventually overcome. One player has to constantly justify why he deserves an MVP. The other is talked about like winning one is inevitable. Nobody is asking for Wemby to be torn down. But why does one generational talent have to overcome a narrative the media created while the other gets the benefit of the doubt?