Player The unfortunately low-ceilinged Shaolin monastery of Victor Wembanyama

[OK Computer]

Looking deeper at some advanced passing and assist stats: h(ttps://www.nba.com/stats/players/passing?PerMode=PerGame&TeamID=1610612759&dir=D&sort=PASSES_MADE)

I made a mental note recently that Wemby is getting robbed of assists by bricked shots... and sure enough, Wemby is sitting at 3.2 assists/game but his potential assists is sitting at 7.5/game.

Castle is getting robbed the most though... he's at 5.3 apg, but 11.5 potential apg.

Harper is also getting the short end of the stick, sitting at 3.8 apg but 7.8 potential apg.

The sum of the delta between apg and potential apg across all the team’s players will give us a decent look at how sufficient (or insufficient) the roster is with finishers and shooters - when compared to the same metric by other teams.

 

[OK Computer]

I agree that he's making good decisions... but IMO it is factually true that he isn't being guarded closely on any 3. His high 3P% is in part the result of good shot selection (only taking open 3s). This shouldn't be a criticism, but just an observation. I hope this continues. Keldon isn't an off-the-dribble 3 point shooter, he's a spot up shooter, and if he's covered he should pump and drive.

But this also isn't a departure from his shot selection the last few years. He's mostly avoided 3PA when closely guarded, but this year he is shooting a lot better. Hope it continues.

That’s fair, and I’m not disputing the statement you’re making here as untrue. However, you made the post in response to mine where I was scoffing at the idea that he isn’t being guarded closely whatsoever - which is a different claim than is he being guarded closely on attempted threes.

 

[scott]

That’s fair, and I’m not disputing the statement you’re making here as untrue. However, you made the post in response to mine where I was scoffing at the idea that he isn’t being guarded closely whatsoever - which is a different claim than is he being guarded closely on attempted threes.

Yeah all good, just the flow of the convo.

The original claim was in reference to how the OP didn't care about 3P% because guys like Keldon and Castle were only shooting open 3s. But I would say it very much does matter. Keldon hitting open 3s means 1) he'll be left open less and 2) when he is open, his defender will rush to close him out, opening up the ability for him to drive past the defender. We all know how useful this is. It not like Sochan not caring whether or not Jeremy shoots 30% or 40% on 3.2 3PA/100. Keldon is hitting 47% on 5.1 3PA/100, and that is meaningful.

In fact, I wonder if the poster is just mirroring past discussions we had on ST about how Jeremy's shooting % doesn't matter and is now incorrectly applying them to other players who aren't afraid to shoot.

 

[BatManu20]

Our mentally-soft “superstar” getting outperformed by DeAndre Ayton. Nasty work tbh.

 

[spursistan]

Really sad that we may have to attach the S-word with regard to some aspects of his play and mental makeup..
The thing is, we are not asking for MVP numbers (35/15/5//5) out of him every night, all we want Wemby's efficient floor performance (22/12//3/3).The fact that he was more consistent in his rookie season than Year 3 is very troubling..

Fouling out twice in 7 games and letting down his teammates as he watches the opposing team proper MVP candidate close out the game is bad optics for him

 

[Mugen]

I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's just exhausted since the Kornet injury and Biyombo's corpse out there. But we haven't even played 10 games yet and the kid is 21.

I hope it's not some BS like allergies or another hidden injury again tbh.

 

[Kick-Stand]

I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's just exhausted since the Kornet injury and Biyombo's corpse out there. But we haven't even played 10 games yet and the kid is 21.

I hope it's not some BS like allergies or another hidden injury again tbh.

The allergies shit didn't make sense last year as it was the lowest cedar pollen season in at least ten years. The mountain cedar doesn't get bad until around Christmas and usually isn't even measurable until a couple weeks into December. Victor being exhausted 7 games into the season and with two days rest would be a horrible development.

 

[wEmBoY]

I think it's not fair to compare TD and Wemby

TD started his career next to a HOFer and savvy vets + a future HOFer coach who was fully dedicated to make him succeed.

Wemby had to start with one of the worst rosters in NBA history that barely got better 3 years later and a rookie coach making rookie mistakes on a regular basis.

Just imagine if Wemby started next to the admiral and all the vets.

TD has a high BBIQ. So you cant compare wemy to TD. If wemby has the BBIQ of TD for sure he is the front runner for MVP. And spurs are on the top of standings.

 

[The Ballsbreakers]

TD has a high BBIQ. So you cant compare wemy to TD. If wemby has the BBIQ of TD for sure he is the front runner for MVP. And spurs are on the top of standings.

To be fair to the kid, he does not and will never have TD's tree-like core and lower body strength. That is a significant reason for his inability to post up closer to the basket. I say this, though, a stronger desire to fight for position would help his case greatly.
But he just does not have the drive for it.

 

[PanameSpur]

Are there any post game co

TD has a high BBIQ. So you cant compare wemy to TD. If wemby has the BBIQ of TD for sure he is the front runner for MVP. And spurs are on the top of standings.

TD was a lot more prepared the 1st time we saw him

Had he arrived at 19yo in an awful roster that can't pass the ball, full of low IQs and with a rookie coach...

My point was to just stop comparing them, it's not fair for either, I find them very different character and skills wise, then when you add the complete opposite context they started with, it makes even less sense.

I get the entertainment part tho

 

[PanameSpur]

Wemby's issue isn't his IQ but his character.

 

[spursistan]

To be fair to the kid, he does not and will never have TD's tree-like core and lower body strength. That is a significant reason for his inability to post up closer to the basket. I say this, though, a stronger desire to fight for position would help his case greatly.
But he just does not have the drive for it.

He kinda quickly switches off when he doesn't get his way early on resulting in lack of aggression and walkabout stretches on offense. We will see if that changes in the future, but i wouldn't be surprised if this who he is (it is really hard to alter the mental make-up of player even for someone as coachable as Wemby)

 

[The Ballsbreakers]

Wemby's issue isn't his IQ but his character.

You mean he's a bad person? WTF

 

[The Ballsbreakers]

Over at Pounding the Cock they're unanimous in lamenting how the offense stagnates when Wemby has the ball.
Like, dude barely held the ball at all.
They forced iso him in the final stretch but he was all out of rhythm at that point.
He was partly to blame, but so were his teammates who seemingly was content to treat him like a rookie Ian Mahinmi on offense.

 

[gilmor2002]

Over at Pounding the Cock they're unanimous in lamenting how the offense stagnates when Wemby has the ball.
Like, dude barely held the ball at all.
They forced iso him in the final stretch but he was all out of rhythm at that point.
He was partly to blame, but so were his teammates who seemingly was content to treat him like a rookie Ian Mahinmi on offense.

Actually there is a stretch in the 2nd Q where the Spurs played better without Wemby.. this is with Olynk at the C and Castle making all the plays driving to the basket.

 

[benefactor]

I don't question his ability, but one has to wonder if he has it upstairs to actually lead. He may be the type of player that is a generational talent that needs a mentally stronger player beside him. He needs someone that can help get him in his spots and help him run the offense.

I think a veteran like Fox is more important now than ever. None of these guys that are with him are up to the task of shouldering responsibility.

 

[gilmor2002]

You mean he's a bad person? WTF

spinnong the the wrong way.. Wemby is different from TD because TD stick to his strong moves' unlike Wemby who doesn't have a 'go-to' move for now.. TD established early and TD knows what he is good at and what he is bad at; Wemby doesn;t

 

[NASpurs]

This guy went from GOAT to Bol Bol in two games.

 

[Fireball]

if Wemby realizes that power game is not working, I would love for him to take more KD like two point shots, just face up, then rise and shoot over defenders ... also reducing to one 3Pt shot per game is dumb.

 

[RC_Drunkford]

you smartasses tell me again how it's the role players fault while the Spurs were shooting 40% from 3 and the 7'5'' guy missed every lay up attempt.

It's blatantly obvious that Wembanyama can not deal with double teams. Dude got triple teamed and didn't even look to pass, instead he thought it was smarter to crab dribble out of it to the logo and almost turn it over. Got double teamed and threw a pass right to Luka Doncic. It also doesn't help that he runs into defenders like a deer in headlights and picks up offensive fouls for no reason. Just stop and shoot over them.

Wemby has a lot of work to do. Fox will be the one to really free him up.

 

[RC_Drunkford]

Over at Pounding the Cock they're unanimous in lamenting how the offense stagnates when Wemby has the ball.
Like, dude barely held the ball at all.
They forced iso him in the final stretch but he was all out of rhythm at that point.
He was partly to blame, but so were his teammates who seemingly was content to treat him like a rookie Ian Mahinmi on offense.

you need a pair of glasses

 

[Quentin_Compson]

It reminds me of those Kobestans, don't give a crap about the team, they would ignore the fact that Kobe essentially destroyed the Lakers since 2014, for a solid 6 or 7 years, but as long as Kobe got his, it's all cool.

Well, to be fair, Kobe didn't give a crap about the team either, so why should his fans.

Hm, when Deandre fucking Ayton has a better statline than Wemby, it's fair to say that something has gone wrong. To me, it seems like a combination of the team not finding ways to set him up for good shots/easy points and him reverting to struggle to establish position closer to the basket early on in possessions. I hope Wemby realizes that him shooting fade-away jumpers over defenders much much smaller than him will always be an automatic win for the opponent's defense.

 

[ambchang]

This goes back to the need of an actual PH on the team to set up an offence. Castle is a great connector, wemby is a great finisher and creator, but we are now missing someone to setup and direct the game, which hopefully fox and Harper will fix.

Over time I hope wemby will be able to pick that aspect up, it’s the toughest part of the job, especially when you are the focal point of the defence every single trip.

Also, I’ve always said, wemby is more Kevin Garnett (who is more David Robinson) than Duncan. The body types and playing styles are similar to each other, only wemby is a more natural shooter but Garnett is stronger and has better lateral movement.

Players don’t transform over a summer. It takes a bit of time, especially when it comes to the cerebral part of things.

When the spurs lose, it’s not always anybody’s fault, sometimes it’s just that we are not good enough, and instead of placing all the blame on one person or group, perhaps it is better to look at what the team is lacking and address it, either through improvement or trades.

 

[spursparker9]

 

[Area 51.247]

Our mentally-soft “superstar” getting outperformed by DeAndre Ayton. Nasty work tbh.

Ayton seemed to take this challenge as a defining moment for his basketball repution rehabilitation. That he really was worthy of a Number One pick and eventually, the appropriate contract.

Looked like it wasn't as urgent for Wembanyama. That's the lesson he and the Spurs have to learn how to prepare for: being ready, day in and day out, to do the big and little things that lead to gritting out wins.