NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama does not think he has surpassed Trae Young as the biggest villain for New York Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden. Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night is another chance for Wemby to add to that legacy.
Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs can even the series if they win again on the road like they did in Game 3. The 7-foot-4 big man from France took over Monday night with 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three blocks, including flying in to swat the ball off the backboard on what looked like an easy layup by Landry Shamet.
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New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby dishes off as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defends during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with guard Stephon Castle during second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) battles for the ball during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama is introduced prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
He also caught the ire of the crowd in the form of a vulgar chant after fouling Karl-Anthony Towns with 9.6 seconds left in the first half. That was just one of several moments Wembanyama ticked off his opponents.
During the first quarter, Wembanyama shoved Knicks guard Jalen Brunson in the head on a play that went uncalled. New York's Jose Alvarado said Monday that Wembanyama “got away with one,” and added, "That’ll be the last one.”
Wembanyama was whistled for three personal fouls in Game 3.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby dishes off as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defends during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with guard Stephon Castle during second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) battles for the ball during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama is introduced prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
After years of preparation, a supersized World Cup has finally arrived.
This year's tournament — which is hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico — was expanded to 48 teams that will play in 16 stadiums in a record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament.
Mexico gets the World Cup started Thursday and will be a heavy favorite when it hosts South Africa in Mexico City. The second game of the day will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico. All four teams are part of Group A.
Canada and the United States will host their first games Friday. The Canadians will play Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto while the Americans face Paraguay in Inglewood, California.
Fox is the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the World Cup with all 104 matches in English on Fox or FS1. All matches are also available on the Fox One app. Telemundo and Universo will broadcast all of the matches in Spanish. Peacock is the streaming home for Spanish language broadcasts while Telemundo also has an app that includes all the matches.
Boosted by a home crowd and a star-studded opening ceremony with performances that include Andrea Bocelli and homegrown talent like Alejandro Fernández and Maná, Mexico hopes to play better in this World Cup than in 2022, when it failed to advance out of the group stage for the first time since 1978. El Tri will be led by veteran Raúl Jiménez and 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will be competing in the World Cup for a record sixth time. South Africa is playing in its fourth World Cup and first since it hosted the tournament in 2010.
The games in Mexico will be played at high elevation. The Azteca stadium in Mexico City is at roughly 7,300 feet while Guadalajara sits at 5,138 feet, meaning visiting teams will have to make a significant adjustment to the altitude.
South Korea is one of the best teams in Asia and has qualified for 11 tournaments in a row since 1986. The Koreans made it to the round of 16 in 2022 before losing to Brazil. Son Hueng-min, 33, is the captain and might be playing in his last World Cup. The Czech Republic is back in soccer's biggest showcase for the first time in 20 years.
FIFA has faced pressure for sky-high World Cup ticket prices and sales tactics that fans say left them with worse deals than they wanted.
The attorneys general in New York and New Jersey, which is hosting eight World Cup matches including the final, announced last month that they are investigating whether FIFA’s ticketing practices violated consumer protection laws.
Some seats for the July 19 final are going for nearly $33,000.
In the deeply polarized U.S., few things unite elected leaders outside the White House quite like skepticism of Gianni Infantino and FIFA, the governing body for the world’s most popular sport.
It’s a sentiment that cuts across the divide and spans from Washington to state capitals and city halls.
There are mayors like Zohran Mamdani of New York and Karen Bass of Los Angeles, Democrats who’ve balked at ticket prices. Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who played Division 1 soccer at the U.S. Naval Academy, said FIFA has been “detached from regular people around the world.”
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
United States defender Chris Richards, front left, gives autographs to fans after the nationall team's first practice at its World Cup soccer tournament training base in Irvine, Calif., Monday, June 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Greg Beacham)
Canada's Cyle Larin speaks to media during a World Cup soccer training session in Toronto, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)
People chant and cheer during a protest in reaction to FIFA's ban of Iran's pre-revolutionary flag inside World Cup stadiums Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Hanson)
Marktweg Street in The Hague, Netherlands, is decorated ahead of the start of the soccer World Cup, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
A dancer performs along Reforma Avenue in Mexico City, Saturday, June 6, 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
