Jeff Teague Names the Most Important Player in the NBA Finals

The NBA Finals matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks features some elite basketball talent - most notably Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson.

Both of these players are invaluable to their respective teams. But according to retired NBA veteran Jeff Teague, Brunson will be the most important player in the championship series.

Teague argues that the Spurs can still win without Wembanyama’s best stuff. But if Brunson doesn’t perform, the Knicks have “no chance.”

“Wemby can have a bad game,” Teague said on the Club 520 Podcast. “But offensively, the Knicks, if [Jalen Brunson] is not hooping, they ain’t got a chance. If JB’s not averaging 28-30, it’s over with. Wemby could average 14 and they could still possibly win the series.”

“Obviously they’re both going to have to play well for them to win a championship, but I think the Knicks don’t stand a chance if JB is averaging 18. It’s over,” Teague concluded.

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Both Wembanyama and Brunson were unanimously awarded MVP for their respective conference finals series. Wembanyama led the Spurs to victory over the reigning NBA-champion Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games, and Brunson led the Knicks to a series sweep over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Game 1 of the NBA Finals will tipoff at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 10:37 AM.