Player The unfortunately low-ceilinged Shaolin monastery of Victor Wembanyama

[Limguoguolo]

Got to give it to Wemby for putting up a quiet 31 pts 13 rebs (10/12 FG, 2/2 3FG, 9/10 FTs) in only 23 mins today.

He had 3 TOs but I don't recall those coming from forcing fancy dribble against double team. I am fine if he made a bad pass due to strong pressure from double team, but trying fancy dribble against double team or smaller guard just to fall down and turn the ball over is not acceptable tbh. I am even okay with him spamming the 3s as those are technically unblockable/open shots for him. He just has to cut down the avoidable TOs tbh

The principle of the basket is that all turnovers must be avoided. I don't know of any situation in which it is acceptable to literally give up the right to shoot in favor of an opponent's gained possession.

Victor lost his first ball after a risky dribble leading to a jump ball. His second was an offensive foul in which he pushed his opponent with both hands after a screen. His third turnover was a ball into the first row while trying to play point guard by forcing a pass inside.

Two turnovers by guards, one by a center. All three are stupid turnovers, but they are all turnovers. If he created plays and had six or seven assists per game without any point guards on the team, it would be understandable. That's not the case. Jokic can make such turnovers, but he directs the play, he initiates it. Victor can do it, but it's not his strong point.

As for the inside foul, let's just say that some offensive fouls are more debatable than others. This one is obvious. We talk about his higher IQ, I don't know about his understanding of the game, his ability to lead a defense, but when it comes to offense, he typically plays like a star who is still finding his feet. I don't think the question is whether his turnovers are avoidable or not, but in which games the staff allows him a few fantasies.

Three in 20 minutes is still high for a player who shouldn't be initiating the ball so much.

The further we get into the season, the more important the results will be, and the more we will need to avoid situations where players “work” on their weaknesses during games. Winning teams rely on their strengths. Turnovers are strengths given to opposing teams as charity.

 

[Shmurs]

Castle and Harper have NBA ready body. Wemby doesn’t. That’s the big difference. And there’s no ready blueprint for someone like Wemby’s skills in a 7’5ish body. So it’s not that he has not adapted or integrated fast enough, but nobody exactly knew how to use his skills at day one. Remember Pop and his coaching staff had to let Wemby find his game out there. Unlike Castle and Harper who can pattern their plays with a Dwayne Wade, or Butler, Harden, Jru or whoever. Wemby had nobody. He had to learn from different kind of players, KG, The Dream, even Jamal Crawford. He’s so unique!

It’s a little surprising/disappointing/whatever that he really doesn’t look materially different than his rookie year. I know his core strength is much better, which allows him more ability to operate in the paint. But he’s still a total string bean. Which I guess is maybe what he’ll just be. There were some giannis fantasies for a while with him filling out into a monster, but looks like giannis is a 1 of 1.

…and he’s hurt all the time now with soft tissue stuff so maybe it’s best if Vic stays lighter.

 

[The Ballsbreakers]

You just seem utterly oblivious to the fact that you're having First World problems right now.
Every team, and I mean EVERY FUCKING TEAM, would be glad to help you with your Victor Wembanyama problems right now and get him for any one of their stars.
It's fine to discuss his failings and shortcomings but you do it with utter disregard for what he actually brings to the table it's damn laughable.
If I had just woken up from a coma after 10 years and I'm reading these asinine comments I'd be hard pressed to say this Victor Wembanyama dude is some journeyman signing just clogging up a roster spot.

 

[Fabbs]

Got to give it to Wemby for putting up a quiet 31 pts 13 rebs (10/12 FG, 2/2 3FG, 9/10 FTs) in only 23 mins today.

He had 3 TOs but I don't recall those coming from forcing fancy dribble against double team. I am fine if he made a bad pass due to strong pressure from double team, but trying fancy dribble against double team or smaller guard just to fall down and turn the ball over is not acceptable tbh. I am even okay with him spamming the 3s as those are technically unblockable/open shots for him. He just has to cut down the avoidable TOs tbh

but but but those turnovers.
Yes we all want Wemby to improve but FFS.
(not directing this at you spursparker9 but some of the Wemby critique is starting to resemble):

 

[Itzsoweezee]

Wemby is awesome. I hope I never get so miserable that I ignore the absolutely ridiculous stuff he does on an every-game basis. The dude is like 22 and the Spurs are in second place. Enjoy. It costs you nothing

 

[DaSlicer]

Wemby is awesome. I hope I never get so miserable that I ignore the absolutely ridiculous stuff he does on an every-game basis. The dude is like 22 and the Spurs are in second place. Enjoy. It costs you nothing

I have always had the mentality of playing with house money since the Spurs won their 5th title. The only thing that frustrated me during what I call the Spurs dark ages which was from 2017-2023 was how during that time period there was no effort to improve that team. I felt the Spurs were just accommodating Pop during that time period in keeping guys like Derozan and LMA together knowing they were was no chance to contend but wanted to make sure Pop could break the all time coaching wins record.

This current Spurs team has been the most fun Spurs team to watch since the '16-'17 season and a large part is due to Victor which is why I can live with his flaws and mistakes because he made the Spurs relevant again.

 

[spursparker9]

I guess it all boils down to win or loss.

If win = Wemby did great, although there is room for improvement on his TO and shot selection and defensive intensity etc

if loss = Wemby's mistakes were costly and killed the game.

Think that the "unexpected 2nd seed" + "media narrative hype" + "Wemby already in 3rd year" have kinda made us all wishing for a faster progress for Wemby (especially more consistent on Offensive end).

Anyway Wemby will turns 22 in just a few more days. Wish him stay healthy forever

 

[brazil]

I stated a fact that you can't deny, so you gotta use insults. Fits your dumbass

I also stated a fact.

You try to be the smart ass stirring the pot but your only achievement so far is to swing and miss. Your takes on Barnes are painfully bad and it is even worst for Wemby.

 

[Exstatic]

I stated a fact that you can't deny, so you gotta use insults. Fits your dumbass

Correlation does not imply causation​

 

[Sugus]

Two men are talking on the sidelines of a painting exhibition. A third man listens to what one says to the other:

“It seems to me that Picasso's influence has always overshadowed that of Georges Braque, Juan Gris, and Fernand Léger in the same field. Picasso is a tad overrated.”

After hearing this, the third man approaches the other two and says:

“Yes, I've always thought that Picasso couldn't draw.”

Seriously one of the best analogies I've ever seen for the discourse around Wemby, hats off!

Some people just cannot fathom anything but the most hyperbolic and reactionary of takes. Crazy

 

[Sugus]

It’s a little surprising/disappointing/whatever that he really doesn’t look materially different than his rookie year. I know his core strength is much better, which allows him more ability to operate in the paint. But he’s still a total string bean. Which I guess is maybe what he’ll just be. There were some giannis fantasies for a while with him filling out into a monster, but looks like giannis is a 1 of 1.

…and he’s hurt all the time now with soft tissue stuff so maybe it’s best if Vic stays lighter.

Dude, go look at pictures of rookie Wemby vs this season's Wemby. The physical change is immediately obvious and visible on most/all pics of Wemby this season. Look at the arms and shoulders..........

Maybe, just maybe, expecting Wemby to morph into Giannis was a delusional expectation that sets him up for failure at no fault of his own...

 

[Sugus]

Wemby is awesome. I hope I never get so miserable that I ignore the absolutely ridiculous stuff he does on an every-game basis. The dude is like 22 and the Spurs are in second place. Enjoy. It costs you nothing

Biggest brained take of 2026 so far, tbh

 

[Exstatic]

Dude, go look at pictures of rookie Wemby vs this season's Wemby. The physical change is immediately obvious and visible on most/all pics of Wemby this season. Look at the arms and shoulders..........

Maybe, just maybe, expecting Wemby to morph into Giannis was a delusional expectation that sets him up for failure at no fault of his own...

Giannis wasn’t even built like Giannis at the beginning of year three.

 

[Strategic]

Wemby’s such an incredible talent. I think he will learn to either shoot it quickly or make a good pass quickly when he has the ball up top. Bringing the ball down against smaller guards isn’t going to work until he develops better ball handling skills.

 

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2006535990639493469

https://twitter.com/x/status/2006547244288278793

 

[ginobilized]

Dropping 31/13 in 23 mins is god-level shit. Gotta appreciate this dude on so many levels.

Anyone remember watching Jordan miss shot after shot on contested jumpers and countless turnovers, often in crunch time, as he was learning the league and growing into his potential?

We have normalized this Alien being, which is to be expected for we mere mortals. The path to greatness doesn't allow for holding back. I love that Wemby goes for seemingly stupid moves over and over. He's reaching for greatness AND his team is 2nd in the West. It's going to take a while to comprehend his talent and trajectory. Projecting fundamental basketball rules onto him is limiting and unfair. I expect it will take years to comprehend his talent and potential. It's unfolding in front of our very eyes. Let's just pour one out to the basketball gods after every game he plays in a Spurs uniform.

 

[LeBowen]

He's at 22/10/2.6 with 2 blocks on 57/41/82 with 2.8 turnovers since he came back. 23mpg.

His per36 for the season is 29.4/14/4 on 52/36/84 with 3.5 blocks, 1 steal and 4 turnovers.

We're really rough on him and while his iso ball can be incredibly frustrating, he's already an MVP level player with arguably the biggest impact in the league while not even doing anything.

 

[spursistan]

He's at 22/10/2.6 with 2 blocks on 57/41/82 with 2.8 turnovers since he came back. 23mpg.

His per36 for the season is 29.4/14/4 on 52/36/84 with 3.5 blocks, 1 steal and 4 turnovers.

We're really rough on him and while his iso ball can be incredibly frustrating, he's already an MVP level player with arguably the biggest impact in the league while not even doing anything.

He's 3rd in BPM and 4th in EPM (probably the most reliable and all-encompassing 'impact' metric), which more or less matches his place in the pecking order (between him and Doncic). I think sometime next season he leapfrogs Giannis.

Dunks & Threes: Pro Basketball Analysis

NBA stats, analysis, and predictions. Home of Estimated Plus-Minus (EPM).

dunksandthrees.com

2025-26 NBA Player Stats: Advanced | Basketball-Reference.com

Checkout the Advanced player stats for 2025-26 NBA Season and more on Basketball-Reference.com

www.basketball-reference.com

 

[frenchfred]

good game from Wemby. I love the turnaround jumpshot after rebounding Castle's missed FT, very Garnet like. I hope that he can do more of those, they are unguardable.

 

[spursfanfromafar]

While Wemby in Year 3 is clearly the DPOY (and will win it if he just appears in 65 games with the minutes cut off) and his overall work has put him in the fringes of the MVP conversation (with SGA, Jokic, Luka dominating it).. there is still some work for him to do to be in, bang in the middle of that conversation. For e.g. here's a look at the DARKO trajectory for Wemby and compare it with Jokic-

Clearly Wemby is trending in the direction of Jokic's greatness and that is great news (in fact he was already peaking in the first two years unlike Jokic).

But there is another way to look at the image.. Notice the descending trend in recent games (Late in Year 2 and this Year 3) for Wemby. If it was some pedestrian games (relative to his level) on defense last year before he was shut down, this year, its his offense that is pulling his DARKO down a bit despite stellar Defense.

The question to be answered for Wemby and the coaching staff if he needs to take his levels further up is how to integrate his skillsets on offense even as they have found the sweet spot for him on defense. I ain't no basketball coach, but from what I see.. its just not Wemby's faults like turnovers or the difficulty of his work (ball handling) or inconsistent shooting (35% from 3) that is pulling his offensive numbers down. But it is the fact that the Spurs coaching staff are still trying to find a niche for him within the offense.

I feel the playing-Wemby-from-the-bench was also a way to try to find how to integrate him with the guard heavy offense. And I think for some reason, Wemby fits much well in an offense where he is surrounded by Harper, Keldon and two other shooters than a lineup with Fox and/or Castle in it. The Spurs coaching staff and these two ball handlers must find a way to get Wemby as a key part of the offense as much as they have made him the lynchpin on defense. I think it will come over time and as Wemby builds habits suited for those lineups his efficiency will increase dramatically on offense. I dont see anything problematic with his skill levels that prevent that from happening.

So its less a case of which template Wemby needs to follow? KD or KG or Giannis and more a case of how to make the guard heavy Spurs lineup function better with Wemby as a key offensive weapon rather than just an alien who nullies the opposition's offense.

 

[Davidicus]

Really liked what I saw from Wemby on offense last night, specifically:

1. Midrange: Started and ended the game with a middy over a shorter OG. OREB off a missed FT turned into a middy.
2. Fought for position under the basket for alley-oops / easy buckets. Helped that Robinson was out, but at least Vic recognized and took advantage.
3. Seemed more selective when and where driving from the 3PT line.

He ran in transition, hit some 3s, and got to the line, but those are givens that I haven’t seen a need for improvement.

My big gripe his whole career has been those 3 things ^, and at least for one night he looked great on all 3.

31pts on 83% shooting in 24min don’t lie!

 

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2006594642616168687

 

[frenchfred]

While Wemby in Year 3 is clearly the DPOY (and will win it if he just appears in 65 games with the minutes cut off) and his overall work has put him in the fringes of the MVP conversation (with SGA, Jokic, Luka dominating it).. there is still some work for him to do to be in, bang in the middle of that conversation. For e.g. here's a look at the DARKO trajectory for Wemby and compare it with Jokic-
View attachment 261
Clearly Wemby is trending in the direction of Jokic's greatness and that is great news (in fact he was already peaking in the first two years unlike Jokic).

But there is another way to look at the image.. Notice the descending trend in recent games (Late in Year 2 and this Year 3) for Wemby. If it was some pedestrian games (relative to his level) on defense last year before he was shut down, this year, its his offense that is pulling his DARKO down a bit despite stellar Defense.

The question to be answered for Wemby and the coaching staff if he needs to take his levels further up is how to integrate his skillsets on offense even as they have found the sweet spot for him on defense. I ain't no basketball coach, but from what I see.. its just not Wemby's faults like turnovers or the difficulty of his work (ball handling) or inconsistent shooting (35% from 3) that is pulling his offensive numbers down. But it is the fact that the Spurs coaching staff are still trying to find a niche for him within the offense.

I feel the playing-Wemby-from-the-bench was also a way to try to find how to integrate him with the guard heavy offense. And I think for some reason, Wemby fits much well in an offense where he is surrounded by Harper, Keldon and two other shooters than a lineup with Fox and/or Castle in it. The Spurs coaching staff and these two ball handlers must find a way to get Wemby as a key part of the offense as much as they have made him the lynchpin on defense. I think it will come over time and as Wemby builds habits suited for those lineups his efficiency will increase dramatically on offense. I dont see anything problematic with his skill levels that prevent that from happening.

So its less a case of which template Wemby needs to follow? KD or KG or Giannis and more a case of how to make the guard heavy Spurs lineup function better with Wemby as a key offensive weapon rather than just an alien who nullies the opposition's offense.

The main issue I have with Wemby's offense is that it depends a lot on his teammates finding him inside. He is a very streaky shooter, when he is hot then every is fine but when he's not, he doesn't seem to have a go-to move to go back to build his confidence back ala Tim, KG...playing in the low post with bank shots or turnaround jumpers.

 

[Shmurs]

Dude, go look at pictures of rookie Wemby vs this season's Wemby. The physical change is immediately obvious and visible on most/all pics of Wemby this season. Look at the arms and shoulders..........

Maybe, just maybe, expecting Wemby to morph into Giannis was a delusional expectation that sets him up for failure at no fault of his own...

this is a funny one. Person A says it was a fantasy, person B says “why did you have such an expectation “

…excellent stuff.

Giannis wasn’t even built like Giannis at the beginning of year three.

what an incredibly dishonest take relative to this discussion. He was jacked in year 3.

 

[Shmurs]

If you guys can’t handle a “Wemby is great but I have an observation” then what are you really doing? Find the bad arguments and respond to them. You dudes are so incredibly fragile.