Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama’s jersey was misspelled in game vs. Warriors

Seven-foot-four Victor Wembanyama had a shot blocked by 6-foot-2 Gary Payton II during the San Antonio Spurs’ loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday, and that somehow wasn’t the biggest indignity of the rookie’s night.

That’s because Wembanyama played the entire first quarter of the game wearing a misspelled jersey. “Wembanyana” — the second N should be an M — was unfortunately displayed across the rookie phenom’s back for the start of the game and wasn’t fixed until some point in the second quarter.

The mishap quickly made the rounds across social media when it was discovered.

For what it’s worth, Wembanyama went a respectable 3-for-4 with a three pointer during the first quarter while wearing the misspelled jersey. He finished with 22 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists but the Warriors defeated the Spurs, 118-112.

Wembanyama’s game-used jerseys have been selling for shocking numbers, with a jersey from his NBA debut fetching $762,000 at auction. Who’s to say what the one-of-a-kind mistake jersey could go for? 

Lucrative or not, Wembanyama didn’t find the mistake funny and even openly wondered if someone could lose their job over the incident.

“It’s a real shame. I don’t know if somebody got fired but the Spurs did their job by checking my name and noticing it. But, I don’t know, it’s a real shame,” Wembanyama said after the game. Wembanyama inherited the surname from his father, who is of Congolese descent.

Whoever was responsible for the mishap wouldn’t be the first person to mess up the French star’s last name. But the mistake was the rotten cherry on top of the Spurs’s 11th straight loss.