So, I was just scrolling through this Reddit thread, you know, about Victor Wembanyama—the Spurs’ rookie phenom—and his recent comments after a game. The whole thing started because he made this remark about playing “ethical basketball,” which, honestly, sounds like something straight out of NBA Reddit jargon. People immediately picked up on that and ran with it. The consensus is pretty clear: everyone thinks Wemby is basically one of us, a certified Redditor lurking in the shadows. I mean, the way he phrased it, it’s like he’s been soaking up all the inside jokes and debates from the forum.
The real spice here is the brewing rivalry with the Oklahoma City Thunder, especially their player Chet Holmgren. There’s this strong sense that Wemby has a genuine, competitive dislike for Chet and OKC, which apparently dates back to their pre-NBA days, like when Chet won the U-19 World Cup MVP over him. Folks are loving the drama—calling it a “giraffe fight” between two incredibly tall players, and joking that Wemby, as the larger “Slenderman,” should just eat the smaller Chet. It’s all in good fun, though; most see it as healthy rivalry without real ill will, just hyper-competitiveness.
What’s really funny is how people are dissecting Wemby’s personality. They’re pointing out his off-court quirks, like him being a Brandon Sanderson fan, following random fan pages for players like Sandro Mamukelashvili, or even liking posts about Karl Malone. There’s this whole thread about how, if you ignore his 7’5″ frame, he’s basically a 20-year-old French guy who’s fluent in English and into niche internet culture—totally Reddit material. Some are even joking that he trained with monks over the summer but came out as the league’s top trash-talker, maybe influenced by Kevin Garnett, who he worked with. The image of them spending hours trash-talking on PS5 with anime profile pics is just too good.
The reactions to his comments are mixed but mostly positive. A lot of fans, even those who traditionally disliked the Spurs since the Tim Duncan era, are finding themselves drawn to Wemby’s confidence and what they call his “French arrogance.” They’re talking about buying his jersey, especially the Fiesta variant, and how he’s making them root for the Spurs. There’s genuine excitement about a potential playoff matchup between the Spurs and Thunder, with some saying it would “feed families” or be like “Infinity War.” Others are hoping for a whole Western Conference showdown with teams like Denver and Houston, united in a common sentiment of “fuck Oklahoma.”
But it’s not all praise; there’s also this underlying worry about his health—pleas to keep him safe for a long career—and a bit of shock at how quickly he’s embracing the villain or agitator role. Some are cautioning him to pace himself, joking that he’s been back for 20 minutes and is already taking shots at half the league. Yet, through it all, the phrase “ethical basketball” has taken on a life of its own, spawning hilarious variations like “homegrown grass-fed hoops,” “free-range, non-GMO basketball,” and even “vegan, plant-based basketball.” It’s become this running gag that perfectly captures the absurdity and passion of NBA fandom.
Overall, the thread paints Wemby as this refreshing, internet-savvy character who’s not afraid to stir the pot, making the league more entertaining both on and off the court. Whether you see him as the “people’s king” or just a dude who reddits too much, he’s clearly got everyone’s attention.
