Victor Wembanyama Mega-Thread - For all your Wembanyama needs!

[hardenASG13]

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Imagine having someone on your favorite team that can do this and complaining about it LOL

There’s lots of guys that can. Not at that height obviously.

They don’t because it’s a ridiculously low percentage shot.

And again, why waste a 7’4 guy who can just stand on the block and shoot Aldridge like jumpers when facing up or develop a couple little hook shots?

If Pop still cares enough to make guys great, Wemby is going to be getting much worse than the rookie Tony Parker treatment. Somehow I don’t think that will happen. You have to coddle young kids and let them do what they want.

Sure it’s just practice and not the real thing. We will see how he goes. I’m predicting he struggles with his fg% in his rookie year.

You guys see a highlight and have already pencilled him in for 25ppg at 70%.

You're trying too hard to be different. You've seen him and don't think he could average 25ppg as soon as this year? Why not?

I never thought I'd say this, having watched LeBron come into the league, but wemby is the best prospect I've ever seen. Think about where he is right now compared to a rookie giannis! Way ahead in skill, body development and is much more of a physical freak. He's the hypothetical "if Giannis could shoot", only he's also taller and longer than giannis.

[rk2023]

could he be like russ

If you’re referring to Bill Russell, absolutely not (maybe very few shades). Being 7’5 represents a decent amount of lateral quickness , and speed in general , being traded off.

That said, Wemby is very fluid and functionally athletic for his height. Some of his abilities to cover court on either side were on full display tonight. If the handle and passing continue, I think we get an all-star caliber player much sooner than later.

aw

Not everybody can be the GOAT my guy

[Pachinko_]

Imagine having someone on your favorite team that can do this and complaining about it LOL

There’s lots of guys that can. Not at that height obviously.

They don’t because it’s a ridiculously low percentage shot.

And again, why waste a 7’4 guy who can just stand on the block and shoot Aldridge like jumpers when facing up or develop a couple little hook shots?

If Pop still cares enough to make guys great, Wemby is going to be getting much worse than the rookie Tony Parker treatment. Somehow I don’t think that will happen. You have to coddle young kids and let them do what they want.

Sure it’s just practice and not the real thing. We will see how he goes. I’m predicting he struggles with his fg% in his rookie year.

You guys see a highlight and have already pencilled him in for 25ppg at 70%.

You're trying too hard to be different. You've seen him and don't think he could average 25ppg as soon as this year? Why not?

I never thought I'd say this, having watched LeBron come into the league, but wemby is the best prospect I've ever seen. Think about where he is right now compared to a rookie giannis! Way ahead in skill, body development and is much more of a physical freak. He's the hypothetical "if Giannis could shoot", only he's also taller and longer than giannis.

From a strictly numbers perspective though it's a false logic, because if Giannis could shoot he still shouldn't really shoot, because he simply gets more points per possession when he keeps attacking the basket. The only valid reason to chuck one here and there is to take a possession off to save himself some bruises and catch his breath. What people really wanted from Giannis is to make his free throws consistently.

Anyway, like many people said it is time now for Wemby to try many different things, so it's all good. The strategic rationalisation of his shot selection can come later.

[Pachinko_]

Also, another reminder that Wemby in the French league last year had more blocks per game than Gobert in the same league, even though Gobert was actually a year older.

If Pop gives him enough minutes it wouldn't surprise me at all if Wemby leads the league in blocks as early as this year.

[DC_Melo]

Damn he plays bball like how I used to play with the miniature hoop I hung on the door when I was 10.

While making the rest of the league look like your smaller siblings/cousins that could never get the ball.

[shotsquatch]

I still can't wrap my head around Wemby. This is playing out like a fairy tale.

I thank God every day he ended up on the Spurs and not on one of the perpetual lottery dumpster fires.

[greekbuck34]

Giannis has the most PPG in the NBA in the last 5 seasons and he is mediocre at shooting.
If Wemby is truly a Giannis with shooting but taller and longer he will break the NBA and he will average +40 PPG at his prime.

Giannis is scoring so much not only because he is good but mainly because dunks and layups are way more consistent than any type of jumpshooting no matter how much skilled you are and in order for Wemby to do that when he is having an off shooting night he will have to build some muscle. Just height and length won't be enough against defenses specifically set to stop you. Otherwise a lot of other 7footers would have just copied what Giannis does over the years. He will have to build strength without losing any of his current agility, speed and stamina. Either that or become as good of jumpshooter as Kevin Durant at his height.

Both are extremely rare things in basketball so we will have to wait and see what he will decide to do with his body, how good of a shooter he really is and how he will react against good defenses and long nba seasons.

Very exciting!

[_jin]

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[eyeatoma]

Damn beat me to it! I'm dying though, the look on his face was priceless. Dude was like... "God Dayumm!!"

[Reeko]

My only complaint about Victor is that he seems a bit trigger happy with the three ball. Other than that, barring injuries, I don’t see how he doesn’t become the best player in the league in the next 5 years. He had this one move last night where he was driving and crossed between his legs, got to the free throw line area and hit a smooth fadeaway. At his size that level of fluidity and coordination is not fair.

[Duffman100]

Please. Stay. Healthy.

[Mavrelous]

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We understand TB, we understand...

[shotsquatch]

My only complaint about Victor is that he seems a bit trigger happy with the three ball. Other than that, barring injuries, I don’t see how he doesn’t become the best player in the league in the next 5 years. He had this one move last night where he was driving and crossed between his legs, got to the free throw line area and hit a smooth fadeaway. At his size that level of fluidity and coordination is not fair.

I'd rather him take too many threes, get more reps in. I would guess a player who takes 5 threes a game and makes 33% of them is more valuable than a player who shoots 2 per games at 37%, simply because the defense knows he's gonna shoot and they have to contest. Sometimes having a reputation as a three point threat is almost as valuable as actually making the shot.

[Pumpkin17]

So a 19yo kid with all the potential in the world should be limited to play near the basket and not develop multidimensional skills? Are you crazy?

Let his arsenal develop and grow, how to use it will come with experience and coaching, more weapons is always better than less.

[The Master]

I'd rather him take too many threes, get more reps in. I would guess a player who takes 5 threes a game and makes 33% of them is more valuable than a player who shoots 2 per games at 37%, simply because the defense knows he's gonna shoot and they have to contest. Sometimes having a reputation as a three point threat is almost as valuable as actually making the shot.

Wemby will easily become above-average 3pt shooter (>36% on decent volume), his midrange game is decent, his FT% was fantastic for 19yo big man (82% last season) and his mechanics are great.

People complain about his shot selection from time to time, but with everything what Wemby brings to the table, they don't realize how highly projectable is for 19yo 7-footer to be >80%FT shooter.

He may be inefficient in first, maybe second season, but it's irrelevant, long term these 5-6 3pt attempts per game will be so energy conserving for him as a volume scorer, and I'm pretty sure he'll get into this ~elite territory of shooting for big men efficiency-wise.

Volume scorers sometimes have to go into not-that-comfortable territory for them and if Wemby can get 5-6 pts from spot up threes a game, it will be great for his knees and energy on D. Maybe not this season, but in general this is easily achievable considering his whole projection as a shooter.

[GameChannel]

I’ll continue to get flamed but there is simply no need for a 7’4 guy to dribble drive and shoot low percentage fadeaway. None.

You’d want to use his shot the same way Aldridge did, who is probably one of, if not the very best mid range shooting big men.

You also don’t want him shooting five threes a game, no matter how open he is off screens.

It’s all exciting to see a guy do stuff we've never seen from someone so tall but at the end of the day it’s fundamentals and high percentage plays that will get it done on the offensive end.

If he takes the same shots tonight all season he will shoot 40% from the field and be a waste on offense.

Defensively was the impressive part tonight.

You’re going to see him have no block games and the opposition shooting high 30’s or low 40’s and wonder what happened, only to watch the game and see he scared players off attempting anything near the rim.

Aldridge shot those midrange jumpers cuz he had nothing else in his offensive arsenal barring an occasional 3 or a seldom post up in the low post. He was not even half as mobile as Wemby. If you turn Wemby into an Aldridge, you’re negating his physical tools and basically rendering his potential as a hybrid forward useless. Wemby is a freak of nature who has size and mobility. Heck, he was bringing up the ball on a few occasions last night. You let the boy develop a multi-faceted game so he can be your go-to guy in crucial moments that can score in multiple ways. Look what happened to Giannis. He doesn’t have a jumper so if a team really clamps down on him defensively and takes the driving lane away, Giannis is largely negated as a go to guy. You don’t want to do that to Wemby when he has multiple ways of scoring on you.

[Lockdown504090]

Hoping to God I get to see him play against Zion. Size v size but in totally different ways.

[r0drig0lac]

This guy did an in and out dribble between the legs to the left fadeaway and cashed it.

And is 7'4".

He has realized he can do the same things he does in practice in Europe in SL and now preseason against better competition on each level. It's like he's a create a player in a video game.

People keep saying wait until he plays bigger comp in the regular season.

He will literally do them the same way.

this

[whatisacenter]

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Imagine having someone on your favorite team that can do this and complaining about it LOL

There’s lots of guys that can. Not at that height obviously.

They don’t because it’s a ridiculously low percentage shot.

And again, why waste a 7’4 guy who can just stand on the block and shoot Aldridge like jumpers when facing up or develop a couple little hook shots?

If Pop still cares enough to make guys great, Wemby is going to be getting much worse than the rookie Tony Parker treatment. Somehow I don’t think that will happen. You have to coddle young kids and let them do what they want.

Sure it’s just practice and not the real thing. We will see how he goes. I’m predicting he struggles with his fg% in his rookie year.

You guys see a highlight and have already pencilled him in for 25ppg at 70%.

Why would you want him to be the next Aldridge when he can be the first Wemby?

[michaelm]

I’ll continue to get flamed but there is simply no need for a 7’4 guy to dribble drive and shoot low percentage fadeaway. None.

You’d want to use his shot the same way Aldridge did, who is probably one of, if not the very best mid range shooting big men.

You also don’t want him shooting five threes a game, no matter how open he is off screens.

It’s all exciting to see a guy do stuff we've never seen from someone so tall but at the end of the day it’s fundamentals and high percentage plays that will get it done on the offensive end.

If he takes the same shots tonight all season he will shoot 40% from the field and be a waste on offense.

Defensively was the impressive part tonight.

You’re going to see him have no block games and the opposition shooting high 30’s or low 40’s and wonder what happened, only to watch the game and see he scared players off attempting anything near the rim.

Aldridge shot those midrange jumpers cuz he had nothing else in his offensive arsenal barring an occasional 3 or a seldom post up in the low post. He was not even half as mobile as Wemby. If you turn Wemby into an Aldridge, you’re negating his physical tools and basically rendering his potential as a hybrid forward useless. Wemby is a freak of nature who has size and mobility. Heck, he was bringing up the ball on a few occasions last night. You let the boy develop a multi-faceted game so he can be your go-to guy in crucial moments that can score in multiple ways. Look what happened to Giannis. He doesn’t have a jumper so if a team really clamps down on him defensively and takes the driving lane away, Giannis is largely negated as a go to guy. You don’t want to do that to Wemby when he has multiple ways of scoring on you.

Looks like a 5 inch taller KD with a better handle on briefly watching highlights. I don't see why he shouldn't try the KD approach in preference to the LMA approach.