Victor Wembanyama: What to expect from the NBA’s next great phenom
By Ryan McCrary
Victor Wembanyama’s short list of weaknesses
While there is a lot to like about Victor Wembanyama’s game, he is far from a perfect prospect. It may be hard to believe based on the way the media talks about him, but Wemby does have some flaws in his profile.
His biggest flaw is his weight. Wembanyama weighs 240 lbs. and if we assume he is 7-foot-4, that gives him a BMI or body mass index of 20.6. This is incredibly low and means he has an extremely skinny frame. This matters because we’ve seen multiple examples of players over seven feet tall with thin frames who have dealt with lower body injuries. The first players that come to mind are Sam Bowie, Bol Bol, and Chet Holmgren.
Wembanyama suffered a number of injuries during his time playing overseas, and his frame and playstyle could lead to more injuries down the road. Of course, we can’t predict injuries, so this shouldn’t keep teams from drafting Wemby. However, this is still something teams need to keep in mind.
Another issue is he recorded really low rates of offensive rebounds and steals last season. In 2022, he had an offensive rebound rate of 7.8% which is incredibly low for a big man. Perhaps this can be excused because he plays on the perimeter so much, but offensive rebounding is extremely important, and this could be an issue if he isn’t as much of a perimeter player in the NBA.
His low steal rate of 1.2% is a bigger issue, though, as it raises questions about his ability to defend in space and on the perimeter. His frame is so big that it allows him to cover a ton of ground quickly, so this could be a non-issue. However, a low steal rate is a signal that he may not be a great defender outside of the paint, which could limit his defensive potential.