Player The unfortunately low-ceilinged Shaolin monastery of Victor Wembanyama

[Wemby_Island]

Opposing team's game plan is pretty simple: Keep the 7'5 guy out of the paint and you'll prob win.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986503851113869544

Silver lining.

All these happening towards the start of the season. Hopefully he will figure out Quick

 

[wEmBoY]

There is a greater than zero chance that by the ASB, Fox is our clear first option and Wemby is his Robin and not the team's Batman (on offense anyway)

There is now way this will happen. Maybe fox will get the closer role. But still its wemby’s team.

 

[scott]

There is now way this will happen. Maybe fox will get the closer role. But still its wemby’s team.

You say "there is no way" meanwhile we just watched him struggle to score 9 and 19 points against dudes he has a 1 foot advantage over.

 

[Ice009]

Shaq had Kobe closing for him. Victor might have to have De'Aaron doing it for him.

 

[wEmBoY]

You say "there is no way" meanwhile we just watched him struggle to score 9 and 19 points against dudes he has a 1 foot advantage over.

Yup. Maybe you’re right.can’t believe ayton had a better stats than him lmao. I guess the media and the nba might help wemby get through this mess that he is doing right now.

 

[scott]

Yup. Maybe you’re right.can’t believe ayton had a better stats than him lmao. I guess the media and the nba might help wemby get through this mess that he is doing right now.

And honestly, Fox being our #1 option on offense wouldn't even be that bad. Maybe it ends up being more like 1a and 1b (with Wemby in either position), but I think Wemby badly needs someone like Fox to draw some attention off of him. Castle has been good to start the year, but he's not on Fox's level as a scorer right now. Fox scoring 26ppg while Wemby puts up 24ppg and remains a defensive and rebounding terror would not be a bad thing at all.

Of course... Fox actually has to play for that to happen.

 

[gilmor2002]

Deandre fucking Ayton has fatso to set him up

Who does Wemby have?

For me Wemby is starting the games well, but when our guys are refusing to give him the ball, its getting to his head and its downhill from there.

Setting up the ball to him in 1st 5 minutes is the most important thing. If he rolls in 5 mins, he will do well.

this is exactly what I am seeing the difference between him and TDunc.. Parker / Manu always passed the ball to TD to initiate the offense. TD either take it to his defenders or pass up toTP (he actually hand the ball to TP) then have TP route under the basket and pass to the open man. We dont have this kind of set plays with this team

 

[Wemby_Island]

this is exactly what I am seeing the difference between him and TDunc.. Parker / Manu always passed the ball to TD to initiate the offense. TD either take it to his defenders or pass up toTP (he actually hand the ball to TP) then have TP route under the basket and pass to the open man. We dont have this kind of set plays with this team

Yeah

Nothing is natural in this team at this point.

 

[Itzsoweezee]

Deandre fucking Ayton has fatso to set him up

Who does Wemby have?

For me Wemby is starting the games well, but when our guys are refusing to give him the ball, its getting to his head and its downhill from there.

Setting up the ball to him in 1st 5 minutes is the most important thing. If he rolls in 5 mins, he will do well.

Completely agree. Wemby in the paint should be the only only offense for every possession in the first 5:00 minutes. Set the tone early. No more drifting through games

 

[spursparker9]

 

[The Ballsbreakers]

There is now way this will happen. Maybe fox will get the closer role. But still its wemby’s team.

I honestly can't give a damn who's batman or robin so long as the team succeeds.
If Fox becomes the main guy, I've no problem with it.
That'll only leave more gas for the French kid to clamp down on defense.

 

[Ice009]

I honestly can't give a damn who's batman or robin so long as the team succeeds.
If Fox becomes the main guy, I've no problem with it.
That'll only leave more gas for the French kid to clamp down on defense.

If it ends up being this way, I hope Victor doesn't get discouraged. As long as the team's winning should be the main goal.

These guys actually had a good/serious discussion about this. Thanks for posting this.

 

[wEmBoY]

I honestly can't give a damn who's batman or robin so long as the team succeeds.
If Fox becomes the main guy, I've no problem with it.
That'll only leave more gas for the French kid to clamp down on defense.

Wemby will get angry and go to the lakers or another team where he the main guy.

 

[RC_Drunkford]

what Mitch has to do is run Pop's LaMarcus Aldridge sets. Cross screens to then get a mismatch on the left block for Wemby. Wemby should never post up at the elbow. He should face up and shoot over guys like prime Embiid did.

Post ups at the 3-point line shouldn't even happen.

 

[RC_Drunkford]

And honestly, Fox being our #1 option on offense wouldn't even be that bad. Maybe it ends up being more like 1a and 1b (with Wemby in either position), but I think Wemby badly needs someone like Fox to draw some attention off of him. Castle has been good to start the year, but he's not on Fox's level as a scorer right now. Fox scoring 26ppg while Wemby puts up 24ppg and remains a defensive and rebounding terror would not be a bad thing at all.

Of course... Fox actually has to play for that to happen.

Fox will free Wemby up. I assume it will result in a lot of pick & pops, but that pick & roll should be hard to stop. Then you got Castle as your third option who can get downhill when the defense is already scrambling to guard Fox and Wemby. That should be the system if Fox ever suits up....

 

[spursparker9]

22:45 min start on Wemby's struggles

 

[spursparker9]

Good analysis by the youtuber. Use wings and guards and stick to Wemby to prevent him to have space to make his dribble move. If Wemby get frustrated and use his added "strength" move to bump defender, he might be called for the offensive foul.

Off the ball, push him out of his position and bet that Wemby's teammates are not confident to throw him the good while he is fighting for position.

Of course Wemby still has his last resort. His pull up jumper which no one in the league will be able to contest. But that is a win already for the defense as Wemby's jumpers is not at the elite level like KD.

Overall the objective is to double, triple team Wemby whether on ball or off ball. Just don't let him beat you by himself. Unless there is another proven scorer from the Spurs, it is hard to release the pressure on Wemby.

I believe Joker is a master at handling double team. Wemby has to study Joker's vision

 

[ambchang]

Fox will free Wemby up. I assume it will result in a lot of pick & pops, but that pick & roll should be hard to stop. Then you got Castle as your third option who can get downhill when the defense is already scrambling to guard Fox and Wemby. That should be the system if Fox ever suits up....

Problem is wemby isnt a good screener. In fact I don’t think anyone on the spurs, other than kornhub, is.

These guys have to learn how to set a screen and read the defense.

Saying that, Even with what we have now, castle setting a screen for wemby, with wemby either getting opened for a shot, castle cutting getting a pass for a layup/kick it back out for a three, castle getting it for an open shot, wemby getting free for drives, castle getting a handoff for a drive/shot should all work.

If they stick a wing on wemby, whoever had the big should get over and set that bloody screen to either force the switch and if they pre switch, the third guy cuts in for an open dunk. It shouldn’t be this much of a struggle.

 

[Area 51.247]

There's another part of the equation that Adam Silver, the NBA, and their many broadcast partners have to answer:

is it in the League's best interests to have your shining unicorn bruised, battered, held, and bled out by a thousand cuts from a horde of angry trolls (Dillon Brooks, etc.) before and after he has the ball?

Not compelling viewing, except for the Bill Lambeer Chapter of the Detroit Pistons of the '80's NBA Nostalgia Dreamland and the Shaquille O'Neal Circle of the Oh Yeah, Did It Happen to Me Back in the Day Society.

Thought I saw a quote from Ayton the other day before the game saying the game plan on Wemby was for the little guys to meet and "bruise" him up, then he'd meet him in the paint.

 

[eric365]

Westbrook had great success last year defending wemby.
Smart was really annoying yesterday.

Wemby need more strength to just push them back without wide move that could be called charge

And a creator to give him easy things.
I don't think one of Fox / Castle / Harper should be traded. We need them all

 

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986338354041098426

 

[DaSlicer]

Wemby will get angry and go to the lakers or another team where he the main guy.

My fear with Victor is that he's in the mold of Garnett or David Robinson in the sense he maybe more of a true number 2 guy vs being a number 1. Both of those guys were not able to win titles until they were playing with guys who were legit number 1 options. The same might be true with Victor as time progresses. This is why I had been paying close attention to Harper to see if he could potentially become a star player down the line who could take the pressure off of Victor.

If Victor ever does leave the Spurs it will be to play with a player better than him because it would be a sign he can not cut it as a clear number 1 guy. For example if he goes to the Lakers in a few years that Luka will still be young and in his prime so there is no way he will take Luka's ranking on the pecking order.

 

[spursparker9]

There's another part of the equation that Adam Silver, the NBA, and their many broadcast partners have to answer:

is it in the League's best interests to have your shining unicorn bruised, battered, held, and bled out by a thousand cuts from a horde of angry trolls (Dillon Brooks, etc.) before and after he has the ball?

Not compelling viewing, except for the Bill Lambeer Chapter of the Detroit Pistons of the '80's NBA Nostalgia Dreamland and the Shaquille O'Neal Circle of the Oh Yeah, Did It Happen to Me Back in the Day Society.

Thought I saw a quote from Ayton the other day before the game saying the game plan on Wemby was for the little guys to meet and "bruise" him up, then he'd meet him in the paint.

With gambling and Kawhi's scandal, Silver's hands should be tied right now.

But realistically, Wemby has to get stronger. Having good strength is like a great 'passive' skills (in a video game comparably) in basketball. You don't have to incur more energy to fight for position etc. See Jokic...his body size and strength allow him to put up points and rebounds so effortlessly. That explains why his stats is always so insane. 25+ pts/15rebs/15asts.

Comparably, just based on eye's test, Wemby's every move requires him to use up much more energy

 

[spursparker9]

My fear with Victor is that he's in the mold of Garnett or David Robinson in the sense he maybe more of a true number 2 guy vs being a number 1. Both of those guys were not able to win titles until they were playing with guys who were legit number 1 options. The same might be true with Victor as time progresses. This is why I had been paying close attention to Harper to see if he could potentially become a star player down the line who could take the pressure off of Victor.

If Victor ever does leave the Spurs it will be to play with a player better than him because it would be a sign he can not cut it as a clear number 1 guy. For example if he goes to the Lakers in a few years that Luka will still be young and in his prime so there is no way he will take Luka's ranking on the pecking order.

Actually I disagree that KG or David Robinson are number 2 guy...

Both have won league MVP and get their team to the WCF (KG in 2004 and D-Rob in 1995). You don't win league MVP by being a number 2 guy. It is just that while they were in their prime (and being the number 1 guy), they did not have enough supporting casts and they eventually won when they regress to being the number 2 or 3 guy.

So far, Wemby has definitely show flashes of being the number 1 guy. Just that he will need strong supporting teammates to take pressure off him. Understand that there are players who still can force their way through and put up 25+ pts despite being double, triple team (eg MJ, Kobe, AI etc), but those are guards who the ball in their hands all the time. Wemby being 7'5 is at serious disadvantage dribbling through triple team and force his way through. It would better for him to stand to make quick decision to pass out of double team or understand his gravity (like Curry) during off-ball situation to help his teammates.

 

[Mitch Cumsteen]

I don't think it's a coincidence that he went downhill after Harper got hurt. Vic is playing with one arm tied behind his back while Fox and Harper are out. Defenses can just focus on him and the offense has become too iso dependent on him creating. He's better at playing off of others and initiating the offense on occasion instead of being the primary initiator.

Castle has been great, but he's not the pick and roll threat to get to the rim like those other two. Once teams start getting a heavy dose of Fox and Harper in a layup line, they won't have any choice but to honor them. Then everybody has to move on defense and Vic can get into creases toward the rim or pop out for threes and easy mid-range jumpers.

Don't get me wrong, they could still be doing a lot more right now to free Wemby up in the low post against smaller players, but this isn't rocket science. The Spurs just don't have the horses right now to get the defense moving like they need to so they can fully unleash Vic.

In the meantime, it would be nice to win with defense and rebounding, but Kornet being out has killed that second unit's defensive efficiency. Olynyk does not look passable as any kind of rim protector in what was admittedly an extremely limited sample size. I think Carter Bryant might be a defensive energizer for that second group if they would give him some run. I could see him, Sochan, Castle, KJ and maybe Waters being a somewhat effective small ball, high pressure defensive unit.