Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs fell short against the New York Knicks, 124-113, in the NBA Cup final at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Wembanyama came off the bench to contribute 18 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. The Spurs led for the majority of the game but tapered off in the fourth quarter, allowing the Knicks to claim the in-season tournament title.

The 21-year-old Wembanyama, however, suffered a bigger loss just hours before the contest. It was revealed in the postgame conference that his grandmother had passed away.

“I'm sorry, I lost somebody today,” said the Spurs center, who turned emotional as he was talking to reporters.

One could only imagine how tough it was for Wembanyama to play, in a high-stakes game at that, despite losing a loved one. Still, he soldiered on and did his best to help the Spurs. That alone is already an admirable act.

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It has been a challenging season for the two-time All-Star, to say the least. He had missed several weeks due to a calf injury, and now, he has to process a personal loss.

It's a sad development for Wembanyama, who flew in 50 fans to Las Vegas to watch the Spurs take on the Knicks. But surely, San Antonio will provide him with emotional support as he processes the unfortunate news.

It remains unclear if Wembanyama will take some time off to mourn his grandmother's death.

The Spurs are set to take on the Washington Wizards at home on Thursday.