The San Antonio Spurs need to make life easy for Victor Wembanyama during his rookie season.
Huge expectations have been placed on Victor Wembanyama’s broad shoulders as he prepares for his rookie season. Big things are always expected from the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NBA Draft but Wembanyama is no ordinary prospect.
The last time a rookie had this much hype entering his rookie season was when LeBron James entered the league back in 2003. All eyes will definitely be on Wembanyama to see how he will handle the pressure of resurrecting a once-proud championship franchise. Wembanyama could have the same effect that Hall of Famer Tim Duncan had on the Spurs when they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft.
Duncan would go on to become an all-time great winning five titles for the Spurs and it’s a strong possibility that Wembanyama will have that same kind of impact.
3 Ways the San Antonio Spurs can set Victor Wembanyama up for success
Victor Wembanyama has a strong support system
Head coach Gregg Popovich is excellent at handling top-level talent, especially talent from overseas as we saw what he did for the careers of Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Popovich has arranged for Duncan to mentor Wembanyama which is a genius move by the veteran coach.
Wembanyama will be learning from one of the greatest to ever play the power forward/center position. It has also been said that Ginobili and Parker will also serve as mentors for him as Popovich has ensured Wembanyama will have a top-notch support system at his disposal.
By surrounding this kid with greatness, he should be inspired to become great himself. Wembanyama has already had major success playing professionally in France as he was named MVP, Best Young Player, Best Defender, Top Scorer, and Best Blocker. The NBA has players who will be much quicker and more agile with elite athleticism but Duncan should be able to guide this young phenom to adjust to the speed of the NBA.
While helping him hone his craft, Duncan can also show Wembanyama how to become a leader whether it’s through his words or his play. Duncan may have been humble and soft-spoken but when he did speak up, his teammates listened. One of the more important things Wembanyama’s mentors can teach him is how to be tough mentally.
When things aren’t going his way and if he happens to struggle at any given time during the season, Wembanyama will have to learn to put the bad games behind him and figure out how to overcome the scrutiny and adversity. It is evident that he will face many hurdles during his rookie year but luckily for him, he has some of the best mentors any player could want or ask for.
There will be growing pains along his journey and he will have ups and downs. Once he gets used to the frenetic pace and physicality of the NBA, he should be fine. People have to remember that he is just a rookie and that they need to be patient with him.
On some nights he’ll appear to be the prodigy everyone expects him to become while he may not perform well in other games. With the support system that surrounds him, Wembanyama is set up for success.
Victor Wembeyama builds good chemistry with his teammates
Victor Wembanyama’s teammates have to be excited about having the privilege of playing with him as the future appears to be bright for the Spurs. Just by looking at him, people would expect Wembanyama to be a natural center due to his length and height.
It has been rumored that Popovich will more than likely start Zach Collins at center and allow Wembanyama to play power forward due to his enormous skill set and ability to create mismatches. No matter how good of a talent Wembanyama is he will only be as good as the team around him and the Spurs front office personnel have done their due diligence to ensure that they will have the right players to surround him with.
Opposing teams are going to throw everything they can at Wembanyama in order to frustrate him. Expect opponents to try and and bang him up to see where he is physically, but thankfully Collins is the type of player who welcomes physicality and he can pick up the slack in that area so teams won’t focus so much on Wembanyama. Not to mention how both Wembanyama and Collins, along with Jeremy Sochan would give the Spurs so much versatility on both ends.
Collins is efficient and can spread the floor and plays with an attitude instilled by Popovich’s former players. After a promising rookie season and putting up averages of 11 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per contest, Sochan was a bright spot for the Spurs. With a game similar to Draymond Green and Dennis Rodman, Sochan is the complement to Wembanyama as they could make life difficult for opposing offenses for years to come. Sochan isn’t the most polished player offensively but he comes equipped with defensive intensity and effort which is something that can’t be coached.
Then, there is Devin Vassell who can score and shoot, and being on the floor with Wembanyama should allow him to get more open looks and more opportunities to score. The most interesting scenario to watch is how Wembanyama meshes with Keldon Johnson. Probably the closest thing the Spurs have to an all-star, Johnson could be primed for a breakout season because teams will be so focused on stopping Wembanyama.
Johnson made an impressive jump last season as he went from scoring 17-22 points per game as he has gotten more comfortable shooting from behind the arc. Expect Wembanyama to draw a ton of attention and when he does, it will create so much space for his teammates. Players on this roster should love playing with Wembanyama as the entire team should benefit from his presence on the floor.
Victor Wembanyama enters the season with realistic expectations
Many will be expecting Victor Wembanyama to come in immediately and change the fortunes of the San Antonio Spurs franchise. Patience will be key for the front office, fans, and players alike as everyone has to understand that things are not going to change overnight.
Some are concerned about Wembanyama’s thin frame and worry about his durability but he has the ideal body type to add muscle, and once he gets in the weight room, gets stronger, and becomes more explosive, he will be tough to guard. Even without his offense, Wembanyama will be a game-changer defensively.
Not only will he deter players from attacking the paint but he will also make things difficult for shooters on the perimeter with his length and wing span. Once he finds his rhythm and gets acclimated to the offense and his teammates, things should begin to slow down for him as he gets used to Popovich’s system.
Realistically, Wembanyama should average right around 18 points per game, 10 rebounds, and about three assists. Defensively, he could reach at least 2.5 blocks per game due to the Spurs’ overall defensive potential as a unit. Wembanyama has the potential to finish in the top 5 in blocked shots considering his energy and how active he is around the rim.
Wembanyama was very fortunate to be drafted by a first-class organization as they now have the opportunity to accomplish something special and it all begins with him. The Spurs already have players to surround him with and everything aligns perfectly with the timeline as many of the core players are in their early 20’s so they can all grow together.
Wembanyama has brought a sense of nostalgia back to San Antonio hoping that this will become a new beginning and the foundation of another dynasty in the making.