Spurs coach Mitch Johnson dismisses Wembanyama anthem controversy ahead of Knicks-Spurs Game 5
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Victor Wembanyama’s US national anthem controversy has followed the NBA Finals return to San Antonio.
As he did before Game 1, Wembanyama stood with his arms crossed during “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Game 5 of the NBA Finals Saturday night at Frost Bank Center.
VICTOR WEMBAYAMA ANTHEM CONTROVERSY GROWS AS SPURS, NBA AND ESPN KEEP SILENT ON LAST SEASON
Victor Wembanyama stands with his arms raised during the national anthem before Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE)
OutKick/Fox News Digital asked Spurs coach Mitch Johnson before the game if the team had spoken to Wembanyama about the anthem discussion and if Wembanyama would be down to sing the anthem before Game 5.
“Absolutely not,” Johnson said. “I think there are a lot of players who are not on the floor during the anthem. I don’t know if that’s a habit, a superstition, a bathroom, or whatever. I don’t see anything looking at that at all.”
It was the first public response from Spurs after the Wembanyama anthem stopped and the apparent absence of the pre-match was an episode of the final.
The controversy began before Game 1, when ABC/ESPN cameras showed Wembanyama standing with his arms folded during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” This photo spread quickly on social media, where some fans criticized the photo saying it was disrespectful while others defended Wembanyama who is from France.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP KILLED SPURS STAR VICTOR WEMBAYAMA WEARING YESTERDAY DURING THE SONG
But the scrutiny did not end there.
Wembanyama was not seen on the field during the ESPN anthem before Games 3 and 4 at Madison Square Garden. Most of the Spurs players were seen to sing the national anthem, but Wembanyama was not visible during the parts shown on the radio.
It is noteworthy that Johnson did not deny that Wembanyama chose not to go to court during those two songs.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson gave his first public response to the Wembanyama anthem controversy before the Knicks’ Spurs Game 5 on Saturday night. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE)
OutKick reviewed ESPN’s broadcasts from the first four games of the series. Wembanyama was shown during the playing of the national anthem before Games 1 and 2, but not during Games 3 and 4. ESPN also significantly changed its presentation of the Game 4 anthem, though it’s unclear if that had anything to do with Wembanyama not appearing.
ABC/ESPN returned to its regular production of Game 5 with Wembanyama on the court and the broadcast showed the Spurs star with his arms crossed.
OutKick/Fox News Digital continued to follow the story on the Finals. OutKick/Fox News Digital reached out to the Spurs, the NBA and ESPN for comment, and none offered an explanation.
OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
To OutKick/Fox News Digital’s knowledge, the question to Johnson before Game 5 was the first time a member of the media had brought up the controversy with one of the teams involved.
That made Saturday’s anthem before Game 5 the next possible flashpoint.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama stands with his hands in front of his face during the national anthem before Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. (Photos by Daniel Dunn/Imagn)
The Spurs entered Saturday night trailing the Knicks 3-1 in the NBA Finals, needing a win to keep their season alive and force the series back to Madison Square Garden. New York, on the other hand, had a chance to win its first NBA championship since 1973.
But before the 5th game got the attention, Victor Wembanyama and the American national anthem became part of the story again.
And after Saturday night, the debate doesn’t go away.
