The closer, the better for Victor Wembanyama

In my recent post following Monday’s game, I found myself particularly intrigued by the utilization of Victor Wembanyama on the court. The game on Wednesday night began in a similar way, with Victor initially only netting 3 points from the charity stripe during the first quarter.

Coincidentally, the Spurs struggled, only managing to put up 14 points and finding themselves 12 points behind at the close of the first quarter. Victor’s first field goal attempt didn’t come until the start of the second quarter, attempting a tough baseline midrange jumper that missed. Despite this slow start, Wemby ended up with 57 touches throughout the game, a significant increase from Monday night’s game. More importantly, 11 of his touches occurred in the paint where the rookie excels. Victor’s dominance truly shines close to the rim, leading to moments like this electrifying dunk:

Receiving the ball in the paint plays directly into Wembanyama’s strengths, leveraging his unique combination of size and skill. This positioning encourages a more aggressive style of play from the rookie, steering away from settling for three-pointers. During Wednesday night’s game, Victor tied his season low with only two field goal attempts from beyond the arc. While he’s undoubtedly capable of hitting those long-range shots, his impact on the court is most impactful when he’s in close proximity to the rim. It’ll be intriguing to see if San Antonio keeps utilizing the rookie in this way moving forward.

We’ve witnessed numerous firsts on the court this year, all thanks to Wemby’s exceptional size and skills. But last night was truly unique—I’ve never witnessed a coach grab the mic to address the crowd before. Unsurprisingly, the audience’s reaction was less than enthusiastic, with additional boos directed at Kawhi Leonard. Could it be because they felt shortchanged by Kawhi, as suggested by Ryen Russillo?

Now, let’s delve into the latest update on the Wemby-LeBron comparison after 15 games. The Frenchman continues to impress, leading the charts in all major categories except assists. What’s particularly remarkable is his superior field goal percentage, favoring Victor.

And hey, more slick Spurs jersey designs? Count me in! What are our thoughts on this fresh design from the Frost team store, Spurs fans?