De'Aaron Fox & Harrison Barnes detail how grief-filled Spurs dealt with NBA Finals loss to Knicks
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De'Aaron Fox & Harrison Barnes detail how grief-filled Spurs dealt with NBA Finals loss to Knicks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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A young core that has all the ambition in the world typically struggles to get past the grief of losing the NBA Finals. Victor Wembanyama was going through a lot of emotions after the New York Knicks defeated them in five games. Coach Mitch Johnson only had enough energy to deal with the woes of talents like Carter Bryant, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, among others. This is where their veterans, De'Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes, came in handy during the offseason. The two were emotional anchors for the Spurs that kept them going.
Spurs led by Wembanyama get much-needed veteran wisdom from Fox and Barnes
Grief is a tough emotion to process. The Spurs had already beaten the Portland Trail Blazers despite being shorthanded. They also edged out the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games during the Western Conference Finals. All they had to do was beat the New York Knicks to finally hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Unfortunately, things didn't go their way, and everything collapsed in five games.
Victor Wembanyama had a lot of troubled nights where he was haunted by the NBA Finals loss. It even got to a point where his circadian rhythm got disturbed, via Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
"It’s been hard to fall asleep sometimes. Hard emotions. But there is a point where you accept that you have to go through it. You have to feel all of it. We don’t want to hide from anything," the Spurs superstar declared.
Harrison Barnes saw how much Wembanyama and the rest of the Spurs' young core struggled. This is where he offered his veteran wisdom to help them remember who they were - title contenders. He even flashed a glimpse of his championship-winning mindset during NBA Media Day.
"It’s okay to lose sleep over it. You can take a nap. But the biggest thing is having that frame of reference. We’re not trying to accelerate or get anywhere quicker than what’s in front of us," the Spurs veteran declared.
Barnes knew this feeling too well. He was part of that mid-2010s Golden State Warriors dynasty that felt invincible. With a blazing Stephen Curry, they ran through the Western Conference and the NBA Playoffs to win the 2015 championship. Grief would then strike him along with the rest of the Warriors dynasty the following year. See, this was the year they won 73 games, which remains the best single-season win-loss record. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers then peaked at the right time after that. Barnes and Co. were already up 3-1 but then crumbled to lose the series in seven games.
The Spurs have a veteran who has felt the sting of an NBA Finals loss, but also has the know-how to keep moving forward without rushing. He wasn't the only old-head who showed some wisdom during NBA Media Day.
“Come on unc!” 😂@dy1anharper wanted @swipathefox in the frame! pic.twitter.com/73vdVI70Sn
— NBA (@NBA) September 28, 2026
De'Aaron Fox had to be one of the most scrutinized players during that NBA Finals defeat to the Knicks. It would have been an easy route for him to mope and then act as if nothing happened. But that's not what Spurs culture is built upon. Ever since Coach Gregg Popovich took over in the 1990s, shared vulnerability and emotional intelligence have been core foundations of their identity. Coach Mitch Johnson inherited the same approach to grief in the Spurs system.
This is why Fox sat tall when asked about how he processed the Spurs' loss to the Knicks. He showed a great deal of accountability without deflecting or acting immaturely, setting an example for the young guns led by Wembanyama. He did not even use his ankle sprain as an excuse.
"I was able to play through, and I played. I wish I played better, but I didn’t. feel like I have a gift of being able to move on, and I’ve moved on from it," Fox declared.
Both Barnes and Fox have all the capabilities to produce for Coach Johnson's Spurs. However, their greatest strength is their veteran acumen. While Wembanyama is the defensive and offensive anchor on the floor, the Spurs should be grateful to have these two as emotional rocks when tough times roll around.
With a whole lot of chips on the Spurs’ shoulders, Coach Johnson will surely need Barnes and Fox to help the Wembanyama-led squad more. Heck, maybe Tobias Harris even makes them more emotionally resilient.