The path of “The Big Fundamental”
If you ever looked up “basketball superstar” in the dictionary, you would likely come face-to-face with a picture of LeBron James or Michael Jordan. If you looked up “basketball player,” you would see Tim Duncan. Mind you, this isn’t a knock against Duncan by any means.
The litany of success and legacy he left behind more than earns the “superstar” billing, but Tim Duncan was the polar opposite of “high profile.” In a phrase, Duncan was all steak and no sizzle. He played the game the right way, and to an elite level that has rarely been emulated to even a fraction of its true greatness.
The cornerstone of his dominance was his post game. When “The Big Fundamental” found a footing in the paint, he was nigh unstoppable. The second he had the ball in his hands with his back to the basket, it was practically a foregone conclusion he was going to score.
Victor Wembanyama is similarly dominant in the paint on both offense and defense, and if he polishes his skills he could be just as effective. San Antonio and head coach Gregg Popovich would be the ideal setting and coach respectively to aid Victor in this endeavor. Additionally, while Duncan was not a spectacle on the court, he had a bag of tricks that could rival just about any big man. The way he used angles to nail bank shot after bank shot needs no breakdown. Just watch how the man played and you’ll see why this giant was crowned champion five times in his career.
When Duncan came into the league in 1997, roles and responsibilities in the NBA were much more clearly defined than they are now. As opposed to today’s game where being a jack of all trades is essentially a requirement, in Tim Duncan’s day, a big man’s responsibilities were to dominate in the post on offense, defend the paint on defense, and grab as many boards as possible in order to ensure their team had more chances to score than the opposing team.
As the first pick of his draft class, Duncan entered the league and became one-half of San Antonio’s vaunted “twin towers.” Mentored by the other big man who Wembanyama will be compared to in this article, Duncan would go on to average over 20 points and 10 rebounds a night along with nearly three rejections.
His efficient and fundamentally sound style of play would allow him to make more than half of the shots he took. Looking at Victor Wembanyama, efficiency will most likely be the most focused on aspect of his game, as the young giant is far below the standard expected of a big man.
He may be able to space the floor better than Tim Duncan could, and his physical gifts will also give him a leg up on the competition, but if the goal is to turn Victor into the second coming of Duncan, Popovich will have his work cut out for him.