The Parisian Patisserie of Victor Wembanyama

[spurraider21]

I was going nuts during the lottery to the point that my wife and kid were scared. Turns out I undersold it :lol
it was during the work day and i was actually pretty swamped, so i ended up just having the sound in the background. my wife heard me pound the table and should YEAH and thought what she was hearing in the background was a live court ruling related to work :lol

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/UsherNBA/status/1714820930755575858

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1714804344527233115

[HankChinaski]

Manu esque moves right there. F-ing crazy coming from a 7 foot 3 rookie.

[heyheymymy]

Wemby nutmegs Eiffel Tower source:r/nba

https://i.imgur.io/eF2f2FA_d.webp?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium

[BatManu20]

Fucking love watching this kid ball. He’s going to be a monster in a couple years. Just gotta keep him healthy.

[mudyez]

Come on! Are you joking? Thats unreal.

If someone told me, we would see stuff like that from him, I would, I would...would...I don't know what I would have done or thought, but I certainly would not believed it.

[mudyez]

I guess from nine to five he is working out with Tim and David and from five to nine he is hanging out with Manu. :spin

[John B]

I still can’t believe how composed and mature Wemby is at 19. Man he is fucking and he plays mentally like he’s 25

[Cry Havoc]

Just came up with his first moniker:

The Inhuman Highlight Reel

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAG3UgEt3lE

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/YahooSports/status/1715120695322288503

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/CollinReidPS/status/1715168144384295042

[playbonner15]

https://x.com/CollinReidPS/status/1715064418394869879?s=20
dunno if this is a mismatch but must be confusing for opponents to see the 7 footer handling the ball and the smaller PG making the screen

[playbonner15]

https://i.imgur.com/wLYiHGO.png

Wemby was inconsistent last game, but if he starts knocking down most of his jumpshots, he's sure gonna be ROY. Few players can block his jumpshot

[mudyez]

Just thinking: What are the chances, Wemby will end up beeing more of a SF than an inside player?
Not saying we should glutt the paint with nonshooting Bigs, but shouldnt something like Zollins, Bassey/Barlow work with Wemby roaming like crazy...and having the freesom to leak out mor often? I even could see some zone defenses (3-2 with Wemby on top) working very well and every non opposing basket could be instant 2 points with Wemby as Wide Receiver. Not even mentioning him beeing an always present force on defense while operating from the middle.

[spursparker9]

https://sports.yahoo.com/yeah-hes-different-former-teammate-bilal-coulibaly-has-some-interesting-insight-on-victor-wembanyama-200607116.html

'Yeah, he’s different:' Former teammate Bilal Coulibaly has some interesting insight on Victor Wembanyama

[couchman]

When we got Duncan I was alone in my apartment. I had nobody to call so I called my mom. She was like, "That's nice, dear." :lol

I made my kids watch the Wemby lottery with me. I had people to high five.

I also saw the Duncan lottery alone and screamed and danced by myself in my apartment.
My son knew about Wemby and watched this lotto w me. We jumped and screamed and hugged when we got the top pick.
I have many cherished memories with my boy and this is one of them. Go Spurs Go!
My son was watching the

[couchman]

And then I immediately started this thread ������

[RC_Drunkford]

Just thinking: What are the chances, Wemby will end up beeing more of a SF than an inside player?
Not saying we should glutt the paint with nonshooting Bigs, but shouldnt something like Zollins, Bassey/Barlow work with Wemby roaming like crazy...and having the freesom to leak out mor often? I even could see some zone defenses (3-2 with Wemby on top) working very well and every non opposing basket could be instant 2 points with Wemby as Wide Receiver. Not even mentioning him beeing an always present force on defense while operating from the middle.

PF tbh. Playing him with a Center makes way more sense, since Wemby can be on the perimeter and the Center can get offensive boards, not to mention you also have 2 rim protectors on the floor. I wouldn't play him at Center unless the other team goes small

[Mr. Body]

Just thinking: What are the chances, Wemby will end up beeing more of a SF than an inside player?
Not saying we should glutt the paint with nonshooting Bigs, but shouldnt something like Zollins, Bassey/Barlow work with Wemby roaming like crazy...and having the freesom to leak out mor often? I even could see some zone defenses (3-2 with Wemby on top) working very well and every non opposing basket could be instant 2 points with Wemby as Wide Receiver. Not even mentioning him beeing an always present force on defense while operating from the middle.

After the preseason I'm convinced Wembanyama is a SF. I know there's drift in the current era and we claim it's 'positionless' (although this isn't strictly true). I suppose you could say he's a current-era stretch PF, but to me he's a SF and certainly one in the mold of Kawhi or Durant. Where he wants the ball, where he likes to operate, it's all SF.

I've floated the idea of trying Wembanyama-Bassey-Collins. It all depends on defense, whether they can cover the perimeter. We're already seeing Vic defending out there, but not sure Collins and Bassey can do it without problems. But Cleveland, for example, does run three bigs. The other issue is whether that lineup clogs the lane too much.

I think, as Bassey goes along, we'll start trying him out as a high-post facilitator the way Poeltl and now Collins have been developed.

[lefty]

Even when is struggling offensively, his presence on the court is still very impactful

[Spurs Homer]

Is wemby playing tonite- any news?

[Leetonidas]

Is wemby playing tonite- any news?

No one on the injury report yet. For the Dubs it looks like Green, Looney, and McGruder are questionable. So as of now seems like we'll get to see Wemby and Curry play

[spurraider21]

No one on the injury report yet. For the Dubs it looks like Green, Looney, and McGruder are questionable. So as of now seems like we'll get to see Wemby and Curry play
aside from the risk of green making a dirty play, i am definitely interested in seeing green defend wemby

[Leetonidas]

aside from the risk of green making a dirty play, i am definitely interested in seeing green defend wemby

I really hope Wemby throws it down on him or blocks the fuck out of him at some point

[Spurs Homer]

No one on the injury report yet. For the Dubs it looks like Green, Looney, and McGruder are questionable. So as of now seems like we'll get to see Wemby and Curry play

thanks!

lets hope pop doesnt overprotect and overthink…

[John B]

As the roster is already set, and being the last pre-season game, I think we’ll see the regular season lineup from Pop, then giving the starters rest in the 4th, or if close at the 4th we’ll see our closer lineup, which is the starting line-up, since Spurs don’t have a 6th Manu type to close.

I think it will be much competitive to get them ready for the regular season

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F852F4yW4AAFFqr?format=jpg&name=medium

[RC_Drunkford]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx9s-NBvmAo

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wCLizDUmB4

[playbonner15]

https://x.com/SpursCulture/status/1715575204817100908

Interesting... Wemby can recover from that Curry fake

[Obstructed_View]

Fuck, this kid is good.

[szkorhetz]

Alien

[cutewizard]

He is a god in the making

[spursparker9]

With more strength and conditioning...so that he can maintains God Mode even longer. That is GOAT potential.

Already showing flashes of "Best Player on both ends of the floor". Woj also reported that GMs and Executives believed that Wemby can achieved this by his 3rd or 4th year.

[NameLess Scrub]

Some people have a very selective memory regarding #1 picks and forget Anthony Bennett, Greg Oden, Kwame brown, , Markelle Fultz, Michael Olowokandi... were #1 picks. You shouldn't necessarily expect MJ or Kareem every year. If your guy is a pernenial all star, that's already a sucess.

I don’t, but this the most overhyped pick since Lebron.

[NameLess Scrub]

https://x.com/SpursCulture/status/1715575204817100908

Interesting... Wemby can recover from that Curry fake

He doesn’t need to actually recover. He’s too long and can get to it anyway. Had a jump ball with Curry and didn’t even have to extend the arm. Generational length.



With more strength and conditioning...so that he can maintains God Mode even longer. That is GOAT potential.

Already showing flashes of "Best Player on both ends of the floor". Woj also reported that GMs and Executives believed that Wemby can achieved this by his 3rd or 4th year.


Wemby would be the first player in NBA history to be goat level with that kind of body and playing style. I can only hope he survives Draymond.

[Obstructed_View]

Why do people think he needs more strength or more conditioning? They've been conditioning him for the NBA for a decade. French League is FAR more physical than the NBA. If someone is going to intentionally injure him there is no amount of conditioning that can prevent that.

[Fireball]

Why do people think he needs more strength or more conditioning? They've been conditioning him for the NBA for a decade. French League is FAR more physical than the NBA. If someone is going to intentionally injure him there is no amount of conditioning that can prevent that.

He was huffing and puffing after his first stint going that pace with the Warriors. So obviously he is not conditioned yet to go up and down the court that way. And then there will be the shoving on defense against heavier opponents - that takes a different type of conditioning than just running up and down.

[drpill]

Why do people think he needs more strength or more conditioning? They've been conditioning him for the NBA for a decade. French League is FAR more physical than the NBA. If someone is going to intentionally injure him there is no amount of conditioning that can prevent that.

It seems pretty obvious that the main thing holding Victor back is stamina. It's not just physicality but pace that he isn't able to fully sustain for long stretches. Once he has adjusted fully to the NBA game and his conditioning is improved, he will have no weaknesses. As for strength, he is going to naturally get a lot stronger over the next few years and it will only help his game. He's been working on these things for years but he hasn't peaked yet, not even close. The transformation over the last couple of years has been obvious; just wait until he has a few years of NBA-level training and play under his belt.

[Obstructed_View]

He was huffing and puffing after his first stint going that pace with the Warriors. So obviously he is not conditioned yet to go up and down the court that way. And then there will be the shoving on defense against heavier opponents - that takes a different type of conditioning than just running up and down.
Sean Elliott has been describing that for years. He calls it game legs. It takes real games to get your wind, and nothing else can simulate it. Not workouts, not practice. Everybody is huffing and puffing until they become accustomed to playing four games a week.

Again, Euroleague is more physical than the NBA, and Victor just finished a season there. If it takes a different kind of conditioning, Victor is more prepared for it than anyone else on the team.

[heyheymymy]

Victor Wembanyama’s preseason stats through 4 games

20.8 MPG, 19.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.8 BPG, 2.8 TOV, 50.9 FG%, 31.8 3P%, 85.7 FT%, +40

His per 36 stats when translated

33.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 4.9 BPG, 4.9 TOV

[spurraider21]

:lmao

1715795424055898460

[koriwhat]

:lmao

1715795424055898460

LOL I can not wait!

[Obstructed_View]

Vic is blocking all of those.

[exstatic]

Victor Wembanyama’s preseason stats through 4 games

20.8 MPG, 19.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.8 BPG, 2.8 TOV, 50.9 FG%, 31.8 3P%, 85.7 FT%, +40

His per 36 stats when translated

33.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 4.9 BPG, 4.9 TOV

Beast mode, at 19.

[RC_Drunkford]

:lmao

1715795424055898460

The Mavs will get blown out tbh. They one of the worst teams in the west. They got Luka and Kyrie and then a whole bunch of scrubs and rookie bigs. They don't stand a chance and Doncic and Irving haven't played one game together in preseason.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I don’t, but this the most overhyped pick since Lebron.

Seems to me that James lived up to the hype.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I have been very encouraged how other NBA stars are responding to him. He is getting legit respect. The tip off was just a microcosm of that.

There are always going to be the Morris brother types but when OKC didn't go after him and watching how the Warriors responded to him I find myself encouraged, not worried.

[CGD]

:lmao

1715795424055898460

LOL, except now I expect all the teams to replicate this.

[JPB]

Can you believe before even playing one NBA game, Victor is changing the way teams train.

[thiste]

LOL, except now I expect all the teams to replicate this.

Rent free in their heads 24/7 :lol

[spurraider21]

also man, shammgod has let himself go :lol

not as bad as raymond felton though

https://preview.redd.it/raymond-felton-standing-with-nate-robinson-at-the-nyks-v0-c06ct2q734vb1.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&6501440a

[heyheymymy]

Lol that one FG Kuminga hit over Wemby looked like JK had been practicing shots over someone holding a broomstick in the air

Very high arc on the shot and yeah if you can win hitting enough of those circus shots then hats off to you lol but most shooters are going to have to work so hard on nights facing the Spurs

[exstatic]

also man, shammgod has let himself go :lol

not as bad as raymond felton though

https://preview.redd.it/raymond-felton-standing-with-nate-robinson-at-the-nyks-v0-c06ct2q734vb1.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&6501440a

Felton was pretty chunky, even in college.

[heyheymymy]

Could not believe I saw footage of 2023 Felton in nba action lol

[John B]

:lmao

1715795424055898460

Except Wemby’s legs are much faster than God Shammgod :lmao

Watching Wemby staying in front of Wiggins after all that shaking, that was crazy

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9An_TvXgAA1PX_?format=jpg&name=large

[Spurs Homer]

lol

i dont ever remembet seeing wiggins get blocked repeatedly as he is 6’8”? 6’9”? and jumps pretty high too….

also steffie and thompson too?

no one mentioned this and yes it was pre-season- but the warriors looked shell-shocked to me and i was lovin it!

[jehawk81]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9An_TvXgAA1PX_?format=jpg&name=large

DAYUM

[Fireball]

thats a great pic!

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH4qNAfE0G0

Wemby really packed on some muscles

[playbonner15]

:lmao

1715795424055898460

https://x.com/7big_foreheads/status/1715863783367967122?s=20

Kyrie practicing his sky layup for Wemby :lol

[spurraider21]

Sounds like they actually yelled “Zach Collins again”. They have separate drills depending on who is near the paint

[lefty]

Kyrie is so skilled

[playbonner15]

https://x.com/Wemby_Muse/status/1716142662376423539?s=20

:lol

[tonight...you]

https://x.com/Wemby_Muse/status/1716142662376423539?s=20

:lol
I believe that's the metric system. I'm going to need the Imperial conversion which has Chris Paul on his tippy-toes.

[Dejounte]

https://x.com/kevingarnett5kg/status/1716128423549043151?s=46

KG thinks the Spurs are making the playoffs and that Victor is a top 5 skill player right now

[spursparker9]

High praises from KG and The Truth!

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRTvm9Jr9OY

[cutewizard]

Fuck, this kid is good.

wwwwwwwwwwwwwooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo o goat

[cutewizard]

is becky coming back?

[mudyez]

I can see other teams at some point investing in Spurs backups like Bassey and Barlow just because these guys are used to play against Wemby in practice.

[SpursFan86]

1716255173692039487

Usually poke fun of people for getting hyped over stuff like this but damn is it awesome to see this dude be the last one practicing on a Sunday night. Of course he’s met all expectations on the court so far but it’s great to see all the “character” type things come to fruition as well between interviews and display of work ethic.

[Spurs Homer]

1716255173692039487

Usually poke fun of people for getting hyped over stuff like this but damn is it awesome to see this dude be the last one practicing on a Sunday night. Of course he’s met all expectations on the court so far but it’s great to see all the “character” type things come to fruition as well between interviews and display of work ethic.,


lolol

those coaches are thinking, “fuck man, i told my girl dinner and a movie at 6 or 6:30….”

[JPB]

https://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2023%2F1020%2Fnba_season_preview_ illo1_new_cr_3x2.jpg&w=750&h=500&scale=crop&cquality=40&location=center&format=jpg

[Mr. Body]

https://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2023%2F1020%2Fnba_season_preview_ illo1_new_cr_3x2.jpg&w=750&h=500&scale=crop&cquality=40&location=center&format=jpg

What's Jason Tatum doing there?

[silverblackfan]

https://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2023%2F1020%2Fnba_season_preview_ illo1_new_cr_3x2.jpg&w=750&h=500&scale=crop&cquality=40&location=center&format=jpg
They made Wemby shorter and Lebron taller. SMH

[John B]

https://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2023%2F1020%2Fnba_season_preview_ illo1_new_cr_3x2.jpg&w=750&h=500&scale=crop&cquality=40&location=center&format=jpg

Wemby is much muscular than that now

[spurraider21]

1716523803637936226

[spurraider21]

starts at 35:40


https://youtu.be/KRARbd0RElQ?si=gGBfJ7jCb61aP3G8&t=2140

[OldMan88]

KG is hilarious when he gets worked up talking about Wemby.

[TheChillFactor]

these herbs are tripping over themselves to claw back their takes on Wembanyama lol

BARKLEY YOU NEXT

[Spurs Homer]

PG trying to short-change wemby

uh - uh - not having it…

wemby euroed from past the free throw line - near the 3 pt line- and flushed it

no one stopping that!

[pookenstein]

What's Jason Tatum doing there?

The better question is: What's Dame doing there instead of Giannis?

[Rocalcio]

They made Wemby shorter and Lebron taller. SMH

Had they respected Victor' size, we wouldn't see his face on the picture :lol

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1716834503023321302

[rjv]

Had they respected Victor' size, we wouldn't see his face on the picture :lol

lol. wemby has to get cropped on a regular basis

[Bruno]

1716797685267595435

[spurraider21]

luka watched some preseason and thought "nah fuck that"

1716882650739409130

[Manu20]

luka watched some preseason and thought "nah fuck that"

1716882650739409130

The Wemby effect :lol

[spurraider21]

mad scientist pop

1716906556334465226

[ambchang]

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1716834503023321302

Must kill slam to have to put a spur on their cover.

[timtonymanu]

Mainstream sports media having to cover the Spurs again :lol.

But Wemby will bring more swagger to the spurs than the Timmy era Spurs. Victor should wear Timmy’s bow tie shirt for laughs. :lol

[John B]

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1716834503023321302

This is so surreal. Every sports magazine will soon be a Spur in the cover

[spursparker9]

Mainstream sports media having to cover the Spurs again :lol.

But Wemby will bring more swagger to the spurs than the Timmy era Spurs. Victor should wear Timmy’s bow tie shirt for laughs. :lol

Wemby could be the "face of the league" in a few years...better get used to it.

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utu8j49tJGE

[The Truth #6]

The Spurs are no longer boring for the national media. The Denver Nuggets get to be the awesome boring team now. Ha.

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coDsQw_q1uU

[ace3g]

Anyone able to decode that chart on the whiteboard at :09 mark?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFR4xyuMeDY

[scott]

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1716834503023321302

Shea Serrano wrote the cover story on Wemby. Local boy covers the star of the local team for Slam. Epic.

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiQDuQj7ae8

[Bruno]

Anyone able to decode that chart on the whiteboard at :09 mark?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFR4xyuMeDY

It's just how players are split for the shooting drill.
B1,B2.. : which basket their drill will be
Within parenthesis: name of the coach working with them: Josh Brannon, Darius Songaila, Candice Dupree, Jimmy Baron and Greg Stiemsma

[ace3g]

It's just how players are split for the shooting drill.
B1,B2.. : which basket their drill will be
Within parenthesis: name of the coach working with them: Josh Brannon, Darius Songaila, Candice Dupree, Jimmy Baron and Greg Stiemsma

Yep, I definitely read too much into it, lol.

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMQbd2JpFPg

[couchman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMQbd2JpFPg

I loved the intro video they made. Great stuff

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbNGGxayZ5U

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk2ytLRPZUA

Wemby's portion start at 26:07 min

[Pauleta14]

Wemby repping PSG!!!!

[thiste]

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1717180191594676610

[Fizziksman]

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1717180191594676610

let's go

[Fizziksman]

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1716834503023321302


:hungry:

[buttsR4rebounding]

The MVP case for Victor Wembanyama
Why the Vegas odds for Defensive Player Of Year and MVP defy logic.
TOM HABERSTROH
OCT 25
Yeah, I said it.
This post is unlocked for everyone, but if you’d like the full Finder experience, become a paid subscriber here.
The Wemby hype train is barreling down the track. Some of my favorite NBA minds are giving serious love to Victor Wembanyama as Defensive Player of the Year and naming him to first-team All-Defense this year. Some Wemby praise:
ESPN’s Zach Lowe ranked him a top-15 defensive player already “and that may be very pessimistic,” he added: “The guy is just everywhere on defense. He blots out the sun, the moon, the arena lights, every passing lane in a 20-foot radius, the basket you could have sworn you just saw over there. My god.”
The Athletic’s John Hollinger picked “the rim-denying giant” to make the All-Star team: “I had thought Wembanyama might need a year to get his NBA sea legs before we really saw his impact. To hell with that.”
The Right Time’s Bomani Jones: “I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life … he quite possibly is walking into the NBA as the best defensive player in the league.”
Everyone’s going nuts for good reason. We keep waiting for Wemby to show his youth against “real competition” whatever that means. Wait until Summer League. Wait until preseason against actual NBA players. Wait until … Look, I’m tired of waiting. And you should be too. To all those who are picking Wemby to win DPOY, I have a little suggestion.
If you believe Victor Wembanyama is going to win DPOY, you should double down and pick him as MVP.
Yes, DPOY and MVP.
I think it’s telling that the general consensus insists that Wemby is doing things we’ve never seen on a basketball court. The preseason highlights look like they were cooked up by a bootleg AI app with the prompt “human praying mantis breaking basketball.” The actual production is just as jaw-dropping.
The 19-year-old led all players this preseason with 2.8 blocks per game, doing it in just 20.9 minutes. Translated to a per-75 possession basis:
4.4 blocks
1.6 steals
2.4 fouls
6.0 “stocks” (steals plus blocks)
2.5 stocks per foul
I know the sample size is small, just four games of preseason hoops. But Wemby won MVP, Best Defender, Best Scorer and Best Blocker as an 18-year-old in the top French league. It’s not like he hasn’t dominated men’s competition as a teenager before.
Wemby’s early ability to defend grown NBA players without fouling is what sets him apart. Look at his production this preseason next to reigning DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr, who has five seasons under his belt:
Jackson: 10 blocks, 4 steals, 16 fouls in 94 minutes
Wemby: 11 blocks, 4 steals, 6 fouls in 83 minutes
Again, Wemby is 19 years old and doing this stuff. He checks off every DPOY box. He’s got the sizzle. He’s got the size. He’s got the stats. Bettors are sprinting to place their wagers. BetMGM said on Tuesday night that Wemby is the most-bet player to win DPOY. I’m guessing that’s the same at every sportsbook.
To be clear, I’m not predicting that Wemby’s going to win MVP. What I’m saying is that the market feels wildly mispriced to me. Let me explain.


The MVP odds
As of this writing, on DraftKings on Wednesday morning, Wembanyama’s DPOY odds were ninth-shortest at +1500, with an implied odds of 6.3 percent. That’s longer odds than I would personally have, but that’s not the crazy part.
Here’s where it gets wonky:
Wembanyama is +9000 for MVP, which ranks as the 37th-shortest odds in the league behind guys like Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen. I’m sorry, what? Wemby’s MVP odds are six times longer than his DPOY odds?
This disconnect strikes me as insane. Six times less likely? I could see the logic if Wemby’s offensivee skill was wayyy behind his defensive game. But Wemby is not some Rudy Gobert out there -- a defensive wall with limited utility on offense.
To wit, one of the sharpest draft scouts on the planet, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, answered a Wemby mailbag this week. It was a great read; Sam has watched Wembanyama more than just about anyone. The first question was not about his defense. It was this:


Apologies to the Stifle Tower, but no one on God’s green earth has ever wondered: How the f*** do you guard Rudy Gobert?


History as a guide
We can use history as a guide here. If you were worried about old-timey voters being stingy with the awards, there’s recent precedent for a star doubling up the MVP and DPOY. In 2019-20, voters had no qualms about overwhelmingly selecting Giannis Antetokounmpo for both awards, just like they did for Hakeem Olajuwon in 1993-94 and Michael Jordan in 1988-89.
Speaking of Giannis, when asked about Wembanyama by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Jason Kidd likened the Frenchman to, yes, the MVP/DPOY winner:
“He's in a class of his own. 7-5, can put it on the floor, can shoot it, can block shots, can block jumpers. So, I mean, maybe a combination of Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and I don't know who else. That's the closest person I can think that I've worked with that I've seen who can put it on the floor, [is] athletic defensively, will block shots and can shoot the 3. So, nothing against Giannis -- Giannis didn't shoot the ball like Victor does, but you got to be aware where he's at, at all times on both sides of the floor."
He’s basically saying Giannis with a jump shot. That’s an MVP candidate. Hey, here’s a question, do you think Wembanyama could realistically win DPOY and also average 20 points per game this season? If you answered yes to both, then he’s pretty much guaranteed to be Top-3 in MVP, if not outright win the whole damn thing.
Of the last 10 DPOYs who averaged at least 20 points per game, three of them won MVP, four finished second, two placed third and one (Dwight Howard in 2008-09) didn’t medal, landing at fourth.


Data via Basketball-Reference.com
That’s a pretty compelling track record. Did I mention that Wembanyama’s already averaging 20.8 points per 75 possessions this preseason? So he’s already scoring at that MVP-clearing bar against NBA competition.
Oh, wait. Check that.
Wemby scored 30.8 points per 75 possessions this preseason – sandwiched between Kevin Durant’s 32.7 and Giannis’ 29.6. My bad! Just for posterity’s sake, here are Wemby’s per 75 possession preseason numbers: 30.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.4 blocks, 2.4 assists, 1.6 steals, 2.8 three-pointers and just 2.5 fouls. Indeed, Zach Lowe, my god.
________________________________________
Maybe you’re not on the Wemby bandwagon. But you should def join the Finder.
Subscribed
________________________________________
As Nate Silver wrote this week, the best comp might be Shaq’s rookie season when the LSU product posted 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game for the Orlando Magic, a team that finished exactly 41-41 and missed the playoffs in 1992-93. Shaq finished a distant 7th that year in the MVP race, but I suspect he’d finish much higher in today’s climate.
Children, 1993 was a different time. Voters basically looked at the best team in the NBA and gave the MVP to their best player. (Seriously, the 10 MVPs in the 1990s played on the team with the best record eight times and second-best the other two times. Not saying they were wrong, but yeah, my six-year-old could logically fill out the same ballot).


Why the time is now
I think voters today – with so much more information and social-media influence impacting their vote – aren’t nearly as brainwashed persuaded by team record and can separate the individual from his supporting cast (see: Nikola Jokic 2022; Russell Westbrook 2017). I also think Wemby’s defensive upside helps elevate his candidacy compared to Shaq. The interesting thing is that Shaq didn’t receive a single vote for DPOY, even though he finished second in blocks per game. I don’t see voters dismissing Wembanyama’s DPOY credentials like they did for Shaq; the Wemby DPOY conversation has already begun and it is loud.
Another reason, I suspect, why Shaq didn’t fare so well with voters: he was a rookie. We haven’t seen a rookie win MVP since the merger. Wilt did it in 1960. Wes Unseld did it in 1969. In both cases, the teams won the 82-game equivalent of 50+ games. Wemby’s supporting cast isn’t nearly as good as those teams, so I don’t think he needs to win 50-plus games to convince voters he had the best season. A winning record? Maybe. But we know the bar is lower than 50 wins.
And finally, via ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, here’s Gregg Popovich on Wemby’s transcendent talent that defies any sort of rookie convention: “The days of treating [rookies] the same left us a long time ago.”
Pop was probably talking about giving Wembanyama the star treatment right away. The rookie posted a 33.9 percent usage rate, the highest scoring responsibility for any Spurs player – preseason or regular season – since NBA.com began tracking the stat in 2004. Pop isn’t holding him back. If the notoriously-ornery Pop isn’t giving him the rookie treatment, neither will voters. Easing Pop’s mind is the fact that Wembanyama, like Luka Doncic, has already played high-level pro basketball unlike raw talents like Shaq or Dwight Howard (or Kwame Brown for that matter).
So let’s take Pop’s lead and treat Wemby like a grown up. Wemby’s MVP odds, to me, are way out of whack for someone of his talent, production and hype. The MVP race is wide open as it is. Yes, Nikola Jokic is the favorite but load management has flattened MVP races compared to years past. The odds for the preseason MVP favorite (Jokic currently at +425) is the longest since 2008. This, my friends, is the time to get spicy.
Share
Put it this way: if Wemby convinces voters to give him DPOY, I can’t envision a world in which those same DPOY winds don't also carry him to an MVP.
Look, I’m not saying a Wemby pick for DPOY-but-not-MVP is the coward’s way out. I’m not saying that! I’m just saying we should say these things with our chest. DPOY-not-MVP feels like a strategic hedge. In one stroke, you can protect against the vicious social-media mob in case Wemby flames out, but if he doesn’t crash, one can still enjoy the chest-beating upside of calling the Wemby takeover before everyone else.
My argument is that you shouldn’t stop at DPOY, if you’re willing to go there. I’m not even argu– you know what, screw it. This is supposed to be fun, right?
I’m picking Wemby for MVP. Join me. While you still can.



© 2023 Tom Haberstroh
548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104
Unsubscribe

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4IV9t4Yxac

[Fizziksman]

:lobt2:

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsru_JidujI

[Fizziksman]

The MVP case for Victor Wembanyama
Why the Vegas odds for Defensive Player Of Year and MVP defy logic.
TOM HABERSTROH
OCT 25
Yeah, I said it.
This post is unlocked for everyone, but if you’d like the full Finder experience, become a paid subscriber here.
The Wemby hype train is barreling down the track. Some of my favorite NBA minds are giving serious love to Victor Wembanyama as Defensive Player of the Year and naming him to first-team All-Defense this year. Some Wemby praise:
ESPN’s Zach Lowe ranked him a top-15 defensive player already “and that may be very pessimistic,” he added: “The guy is just everywhere on defense. He blots out the sun, the moon, the arena lights, every passing lane in a 20-foot radius, the basket you could have sworn you just saw over there. My god.”
The Athletic’s John Hollinger picked “the rim-denying giant” to make the All-Star team: “I had thought Wembanyama might need a year to get his NBA sea legs before we really saw his impact. To hell with that.”
The Right Time’s Bomani Jones: “I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life … he quite possibly is walking into the NBA as the best defensive player in the league.”
Everyone’s going nuts for good reason. We keep waiting for Wemby to show his youth against “real competition” whatever that means. Wait until Summer League. Wait until preseason against actual NBA players. Wait until … Look, I’m tired of waiting. And you should be too. To all those who are picking Wemby to win DPOY, I have a little suggestion.
If you believe Victor Wembanyama is going to win DPOY, you should double down and pick him as MVP.
Yes, DPOY and MVP.
I think it’s telling that the general consensus insists that Wemby is doing things we’ve never seen on a basketball court. The preseason highlights look like they were cooked up by a bootleg AI app with the prompt “human praying mantis breaking basketball.” The actual production is just as jaw-dropping.
The 19-year-old led all players this preseason with 2.8 blocks per game, doing it in just 20.9 minutes. Translated to a per-75 possession basis:
4.4 blocks
1.6 steals
2.4 fouls
6.0 “stocks” (steals plus blocks)
2.5 stocks per foul
I know the sample size is small, just four games of preseason hoops. But Wemby won MVP, Best Defender, Best Scorer and Best Blocker as an 18-year-old in the top French league. It’s not like he hasn’t dominated men’s competition as a teenager before.
Wemby’s early ability to defend grown NBA players without fouling is what sets him apart. Look at his production this preseason next to reigning DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr, who has five seasons under his belt:
Jackson: 10 blocks, 4 steals, 16 fouls in 94 minutes
Wemby: 11 blocks, 4 steals, 6 fouls in 83 minutes
Again, Wemby is 19 years old and doing this stuff. He checks off every DPOY box. He’s got the sizzle. He’s got the size. He’s got the stats. Bettors are sprinting to place their wagers. BetMGM said on Tuesday night that Wemby is the most-bet player to win DPOY. I’m guessing that’s the same at every sportsbook.
To be clear, I’m not predicting that Wemby’s going to win MVP. What I’m saying is that the market feels wildly mispriced to me. Let me explain.


The MVP odds
As of this writing, on DraftKings on Wednesday morning, Wembanyama’s DPOY odds were ninth-shortest at +1500, with an implied odds of 6.3 percent. That’s longer odds than I would personally have, but that’s not the crazy part.
Here’s where it gets wonky:
Wembanyama is +9000 for MVP, which ranks as the 37th-shortest odds in the league behind guys like Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen. I’m sorry, what? Wemby’s MVP odds are six times longer than his DPOY odds?
This disconnect strikes me as insane. Six times less likely? I could see the logic if Wemby’s offensivee skill was wayyy behind his defensive game. But Wemby is not some Rudy Gobert out there -- a defensive wall with limited utility on offense.
To wit, one of the sharpest draft scouts on the planet, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, answered a Wemby mailbag this week. It was a great read; Sam has watched Wembanyama more than just about anyone. The first question was not about his defense. It was this:


Apologies to the Stifle Tower, but no one on God’s green earth has ever wondered: How the f*** do you guard Rudy Gobert?


History as a guide
We can use history as a guide here. If you were worried about old-timey voters being stingy with the awards, there’s recent precedent for a star doubling up the MVP and DPOY. In 2019-20, voters had no qualms about overwhelmingly selecting Giannis Antetokounmpo for both awards, just like they did for Hakeem Olajuwon in 1993-94 and Michael Jordan in 1988-89.
Speaking of Giannis, when asked about Wembanyama by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Jason Kidd likened the Frenchman to, yes, the MVP/DPOY winner:
“He's in a class of his own. 7-5, can put it on the floor, can shoot it, can block shots, can block jumpers. So, I mean, maybe a combination of Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and I don't know who else. That's the closest person I can think that I've worked with that I've seen who can put it on the floor, [is] athletic defensively, will block shots and can shoot the 3. So, nothing against Giannis -- Giannis didn't shoot the ball like Victor does, but you got to be aware where he's at, at all times on both sides of the floor."
He’s basically saying Giannis with a jump shot. That’s an MVP candidate. Hey, here’s a question, do you think Wembanyama could realistically win DPOY and also average 20 points per game this season? If you answered yes to both, then he’s pretty much guaranteed to be Top-3 in MVP, if not outright win the whole damn thing.
Of the last 10 DPOYs who averaged at least 20 points per game, three of them won MVP, four finished second, two placed third and one (Dwight Howard in 2008-09) didn’t medal, landing at fourth.


Data via Basketball-Reference.com
That’s a pretty compelling track record. Did I mention that Wembanyama’s already averaging 20.8 points per 75 possessions this preseason? So he’s already scoring at that MVP-clearing bar against NBA competition.
Oh, wait. Check that.
Wemby scored 30.8 points per 75 possessions this preseason – sandwiched between Kevin Durant’s 32.7 and Giannis’ 29.6. My bad! Just for posterity’s sake, here are Wemby’s per 75 possession preseason numbers: 30.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.4 blocks, 2.4 assists, 1.6 steals, 2.8 three-pointers and just 2.5 fouls. Indeed, Zach Lowe, my god.
________________________________________
Maybe you’re not on the Wemby bandwagon. But you should def join the Finder.
Subscribed
________________________________________
As Nate Silver wrote this week, the best comp might be Shaq’s rookie season when the LSU product posted 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game for the Orlando Magic, a team that finished exactly 41-41 and missed the playoffs in 1992-93. Shaq finished a distant 7th that year in the MVP race, but I suspect he’d finish much higher in today’s climate.
Children, 1993 was a different time. Voters basically looked at the best team in the NBA and gave the MVP to their best player. (Seriously, the 10 MVPs in the 1990s played on the team with the best record eight times and second-best the other two times. Not saying they were wrong, but yeah, my six-year-old could logically fill out the same ballot).


Why the time is now
I think voters today – with so much more information and social-media influence impacting their vote – aren’t nearly as brainwashed persuaded by team record and can separate the individual from his supporting cast (see: Nikola Jokic 2022; Russell Westbrook 2017). I also think Wemby’s defensive upside helps elevate his candidacy compared to Shaq. The interesting thing is that Shaq didn’t receive a single vote for DPOY, even though he finished second in blocks per game. I don’t see voters dismissing Wembanyama’s DPOY credentials like they did for Shaq; the Wemby DPOY conversation has already begun and it is loud.
Another reason, I suspect, why Shaq didn’t fare so well with voters: he was a rookie. We haven’t seen a rookie win MVP since the merger. Wilt did it in 1960. Wes Unseld did it in 1969. In both cases, the teams won the 82-game equivalent of 50+ games. Wemby’s supporting cast isn’t nearly as good as those teams, so I don’t think he needs to win 50-plus games to convince voters he had the best season. A winning record? Maybe. But we know the bar is lower than 50 wins.
And finally, via ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, here’s Gregg Popovich on Wemby’s transcendent talent that defies any sort of rookie convention: “The days of treating [rookies] the same left us a long time ago.”
Pop was probably talking about giving Wembanyama the star treatment right away. The rookie posted a 33.9 percent usage rate, the highest scoring responsibility for any Spurs player – preseason or regular season – since NBA.com began tracking the stat in 2004. Pop isn’t holding him back. If the notoriously-ornery Pop isn’t giving him the rookie treatment, neither will voters. Easing Pop’s mind is the fact that Wembanyama, like Luka Doncic, has already played high-level pro basketball unlike raw talents like Shaq or Dwight Howard (or Kwame Brown for that matter).
So let’s take Pop’s lead and treat Wemby like a grown up. Wemby’s MVP odds, to me, are way out of whack for someone of his talent, production and hype. The MVP race is wide open as it is. Yes, Nikola Jokic is the favorite but load management has flattened MVP races compared to years past. The odds for the preseason MVP favorite (Jokic currently at +425) is the longest since 2008. This, my friends, is the time to get spicy.
Share
Put it this way: if Wemby convinces voters to give him DPOY, I can’t envision a world in which those same DPOY winds don't also carry him to an MVP.
Look, I’m not saying a Wemby pick for DPOY-but-not-MVP is the coward’s way out. I’m not saying that! I’m just saying we should say these things with our chest. DPOY-not-MVP feels like a strategic hedge. In one stroke, you can protect against the vicious social-media mob in case Wemby flames out, but if he doesn’t crash, one can still enjoy the chest-beating upside of calling the Wemby takeover before everyone else.
My argument is that you shouldn’t stop at DPOY, if you’re willing to go there. I’m not even argu– you know what, screw it. This is supposed to be fun, right?
I’m picking Wemby for MVP. Join me. While you still can.



© 2023 Tom Haberstroh
548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104
Unsubscribe

Is this the article?

[Knoxxx]

In the concerted effort by the pundits not to overhype Wemby, they are now tripping over themselves to acknowledge that the net result was under hype. He’s da real mudder fuddin deal, obviously! And regardless of tonight.

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDmiNtT65Es

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1717682976996118733

[playbonner15]

How many seasons til Victor requests for a trade?

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/TheCediFanClub/status/1717658528335163845

[ttdog]

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1716834503023321302

Link to Shea Serrano's SLAM article:
https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/victor-wembanyama-247-spurs/

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/MarcJSpears/status/1717665984075477489

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1717602622822109361

https://twitter.com/dannychau/status/1717526869233258505

[JohnnyMax]

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/spurs-victor-wembanyama-puts-up-nearly-identical-stats-as-tim-duncan-in-his-debut/

Spurs' Victor Wembanyama puts up nearly identical stats as Tim Duncan in his debut

The San Antonio Spurs may have lost Victor Wembanyama's debut on Wednesday night, but there was at least one good omen. Wembanyama posted almost the same exact stat line as Tim Duncan when the Spurs legend made his first appearance in 1997.

The Spurs fell to the Dallas Mavericks, 126-119, but there was still a lot to like about Wembanyama's performance. He hit six of his nine attempts from the field, totaled 15 points and added two assists. It just so happens that those were the exact numbers Duncan posted in his rookie debut 26 years ago when the Spurs defeated the Denver Nuggets.

Duncan did have 10 rebounds, which doubled Wembanyama's total from opening night. However, Duncan played over 35 minutes in his first game, whereas Wembanyama got just 23 minutes against the Mavs. That disparity in playing time was primarily due to Wembanyama encountering foul trouble in the first half.

The Spurs can only hope that this stat line is a sign of things to come for Weembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. After Ducan was drafted No. 1 overall in 1997, he became a 15-time All-Star, a two-time MVP and a five-time NBA champion.

Before Wembanyama can achieve all that, he and San Antonio need to pick up their first win of the season. Their next opportunity to do that is Friday Night against the Houston Rockets.

[RC_Drunkford]

here's Manu teaching Wemby the rip-through

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy6WuLnOHrO/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D&fbclid=IwAR00Y4EMQpDey09wQXiMaQND8CAzbV3zfivzI1lPq bX8iIYI2cCm_Ud2MIA

[SpursFan86]

Tons of highlight reel plays tonight: dunking on Sochan :lol , the reverse alley oop, reverse jam on Jabari, back to back blocks on Jabari, and last but not least the game tying drive at the end of regulation.

He’ll have his ups and downs but damn does he look good so far. Most exciting thing is his play in crunch time. Dude has come alive down the stretch in both games so far…can tell he enjoys the big stage.

[InRareForm]

Can we fast forward to 2028, I can't wait to see the highlights !!!

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGzhH29-i-Q


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypnEGQU5QxU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFFFlbUfjTk

[thiste]

https://twitter.com/BalaPattySZN/status/1718104149043073361

[FkLA]

Aside from all the obvious skills and physical tools...Wemby has that dog mentality. Wants to win and wants to dominate so badly.

We're in good hands, boys. :flag:

[tim_duncan_fan]

The funniest thing about this is he's only like 9 years old. He doesn't even know what he is doing yet.

There will be some major struggle games, but he is going to be insanely good in 2 years.

[Pauleta14]

11 is the right age fo sure!

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/Wemby_Muse/status/1718109187471818785

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/_jimmyx12/status/1718121625516650639

[99 Problems]

Wow

[onechance87]

https://twitter.com/_jimmyx12/status/1718121625516650639

he has good feet movement....Seems to gets himself open for a lob alot,But his team dont execute..Are they not stuyding
that in film...Mssing alot of easy points for wemby

[pgardn]

I honestly don’t care about the games.

But W is just damn fun to watch.
And he’s really easy to find.

[pgardn]

he has good feet movement....Seems to gets himself open for a lob alot,But his team dont execute..Are they not stuyding
that in film...Mssing alot of easy points for wemby

Absolutely.
But it’s fun watching W work his way through the messes.
We get to watch him learn to work in a nascent system trying to figure his teammates out.

Warning: this can be frustrating

[slick'81]

Kobe and garnett werent this good at 19

[thiste]

https://twitter.com/Wemby_Muse/status/1718109187471818785

Derozan > 15th season in the NBA
Mitchell > 7th season
Doncic > 6th season
Wemby > Rookie!

[Mr. Body]

https://twitter.com/_jimmyx12/status/1718121625516650639

Great video. Brooks is right to be concerned about that dunk. He's a good defender and there's no way he can get to that midrange shot.

If Wemby truly has this clutch gene where he turns it on in the fourth, holy hell.

[TrainOfThought5]

https://twitter.com/_jimmyx12/status/1718121625516650639

hes really got good footwork. He could really become anything on offense.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

Can anyone tell me which shoe Wemby wears during games? I’ve seen Nike GT Hustle 2 and Nike Air Zoom GT run â but neither looks like them.

[FkLA]

Can anyone tell me which shoe Wemby wears during games? I’ve seen Nike GT Hustle 2 and Nike Air Zoom GT run â but neither looks like them.

Just wait for the Wemby 1, tbh.

[barakz21]

Just wait for the Wemby 1, tbh.

You mean the Nike Alien 1s?

[MannyIsGod]

Can anyone tell me which shoe Wemby wears during games? I’ve seen Nike GT Hustle 2 and Nike Air Zoom GT run â but neither looks like them.

He's probably wearing player editions of several different gt shoes.

The ones against the rockets look like a gt hustle to me just in a color way that isn't public.

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/SpursCulture/status/1718325624811540612

[exstatic]

Kobe and garnett werent this good at 19

Neither was Giannis.

[scott]

That Wemby appears to come alive in the 4th is so awesome to see. We’ve struggled mightily in the clutch lately (maybe partly by tanking design), but Wemby ain’t having any of that. When it winning time, he wants it, and he delivers. Love it.

[J_Paco]

Can we fast forward to 2028, I can't wait to see the highlights !!!

Fuck that, I wanna enjoy the journey just like with Timmy Duncan. We have to appreciate the entirety of these guys' careers cause it's rare to have two generational prospects in one lifetime.

[Mr. Body]

Fuck that, I wanna enjoy the journey just like with Timmy Duncan. We have to appreciate the entirety of these guys' careers cause it's rare to have two generational prospects in one lifetime.

With you, brother. I'm along for a long ride watching very young players develop into veterans and learning how to win pretty and win ugly.

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/Wemby_Muse/status/1718266978354290778

https://twitter.com/victorJediyama/status/1718128136544498158

[emanueldavidginobili]

1718465110526845082

I think Wemby has a chance at this in the next couple of months before he turns 20. I love Sochan but imagine Duren and Wemby lol

[spursparker9]

https://sports.yahoo.com/ten-victor-wembanyama-observations-quotes-051629859.html

Ten Victor Wembanyama observations, quotes after three NBA games

[Brazil]

I just watched Victor being interviewed by tony on his channel, skweek show by tony Parker ep. 7. I’ll post a link later. 25 min Victor speaks about his adaptation to the spurs and his new life, recorded before mavs game.

Main topics were:

- Victor does not want any privileges, he wants to be coached firmly
- he talked about the fact he likes shooting on one foot depending obviously of the circumstances
- he changed a bit his shoot mechanic in particular the position of his thumb on the ball
- he cannot wait to play against Durant in particular, he said he watched a lot of Durant tapes
- he wants to play all the games but it is pop who decides
- he trusts very much Sochan playing point guard
- he said that he doesn’t want to be anchored in one position, he feels he can play all 5, for him one of the strength of the team is that everybody is capable to switch

Some other topics FNT related, TP is announcing a friendly July 12th between France and USA in Lyon, he is waiting US confirmation and hopes Victor will play. It will his Jersey retirement of FNT

all in all very cool

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyXUt5SM810

[Brazil]

Thanks Ace !

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDAF2u1HjnU

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WrkjCFZqFc

[thiste]

https://twitter.com/TrevorMBooth/status/1719502438959591863

[Russo21]

Wemby has to watch film of TD and learn to keep his arms up upon receiving the ball and not lowering the ball letting people swoop in for the steal. He's 7'4". Keep your arms up and nobody is swiping the ball off him. Simple thing for him to learn so should be an easy fix

[baseline bum]

Fuck that, I wanna enjoy the journey just like with Timmy Duncan. We have to appreciate the entirety of these guys' careers cause it's rare to have two generational prospects in one lifetime.

I'm old, I have gotten to see three. Not old enough to see Ice as a developing player though.

[ace3g]

https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/398234011_875507073947100_97127070881503020_n.jpg? _nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=Ov13XfYRI3EAX8T1FPu&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AfDSB77RZt16UzNdorchoaD1x7Le6lIHDMUFGdZneVNh wA&oe=65471349

[Spurs Homer]

Ewwwbanks posterized!

[ace3g]

Matches my eye test

https://twitter.com/bouncepassos/status/1719710720458191226

[Brazil]

Matches my eye test

https://twitter.com/bouncepassos/status/1719710720458191226

As I mentionned in another thead, Victor is known to be a slow starter, this not a surprise that he performs much better in second half. Now the fact that he is confirming at NBA level that he is a closer is probably the biggest good news for the Spurs. You can teach being more cautious with the ball, to set a screen, to be more patient... but you cannot teach being performant and execute well in late game situations. That's probably the most valuable thing we are learning so far about Victor.

Let's hope he continues like that.

On a side note maybe he should change a bit his conditionning and warmimg up to be more efficient in the first quarter, having him speeding up his heart bit before would be benefitial.

[JPB]

maybe he's that kind of player who needs to feel some pressure and urgency. He doesn"t seem very focused and engaged in his first halves. But when the going gets tough, Vic gets going.

[Mugen]

New players/news schemes that he's seeing for the first time as an NBA player. Little bit of in-game acclimation is expected. I think that gets better over the long course of the season with familiarity of nba gameplans.

[Brazil]

maybe he's that kind of player who needs to feel some pressure and urgency. He doesn"t seem very focused and engaged in his first halves. But when the going gets tough, Vic gets going.

He is energyzed and fully engaged right at the get go but it's like he needs to have his body warm and be in rythm to calm down, then he starts cutting the TOs, being sharper on defense and hitting shots.

[Brazil]

New players/news schemes that he's seeing for the first time as an NBA player. Little bit of in-game acclimation is expected. I think that gets better over the long course of the season with familiarity of nba gameplans.

Being cold at the beginning was already the case in the French league tbh... and it was not a problem of in-game acclimation.

I prefer like than the other way around but he needs to get better at it to avoid starting chasing after the opponent initial lead.

[boutons_deux]

That Boy Don't Act Right

... for 3 qtrs.

Then he gets energized in 4th qtr and shows us what he can do, and wins the game.

Head case

He and Pop will fix it.

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/extrastatmuse/status/1719780849497919725

[RC_Drunkford]

he needs to learn how to set screens and to hold his position against smaller guys

[polandprzem]

As of now I haven't seen him set on low block. I wonder if that us by design and more plays inside will come later

[J_Paco]

I'm old, I have gotten to see three. Not old enough to see Ice as a developing player though.

Well, big Dave is why I (a guy from Maryland) became a Spurs fan. He was already a 'finished product' by the time I really started to follow him in '92 or '93.

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okpkB5BuSPg

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA6254pP0jU

[Obstructed_View]

I don't care if Victor doesn't get rebounds, so long as he gets consequential rebounds. His clutch gene is pretty healthy.

[Frenchfred]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA6254pP0jU

obviously the F is harsh and a C+ would be better. Defense is not A+ but probably a A- or B+.

[Leetonidas]

Perkins is a mouth breather that just spits hot takes and lame cliches. Victor is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game. For a string bean that is only playing 28mpg mostly on the perimeter that's pretty decent. It's only been 4 games

[ace3g]

https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/398951897_876495957165515_6604771125807678123_n.jp g?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=WpdQtlT5O5AAX-20qkm&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AfBYlFotlT6olfMCaHqspl4v70yHwlFPylSWRVTJ7B1z 6Q&oe=654852C0

[playbonner15]

https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/398951897_876495957165515_6604771125807678123_n.jp g?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=WpdQtlT5O5AAX-20qkm&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AfBYlFotlT6olfMCaHqspl4v70yHwlFPylSWRVTJ7B1z 6Q&oe=654852C0

This is a renaissance painting

[tbdog]

Is that pic of him just before dunking it.

[Ice009]

Is that pic of him just before dunking it.

Yep, I'd say so, as I remember that dunk was on Eubanks. so I'd say it's the one.

[exstatic]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA6254pP0jU

Wemby 7.5 rebs 9.9 rebs/36
Perk 5.8 rebs 9.5 Rebs/36 ‘F’

[barakz21]

Copped my Wemby city edition jersey!

[spurraider21]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpaW8PwZ_UU

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/AirlessJordan/status/1720279526943625578

[spursparker9]

https://twitter.com/AirlessJordan/status/1720279526943625578

Chet should have this stats through his 5 games as well.

[tim_duncan_fan]

Bro, this is crazy.

He wasn't even forcing much of anything to get to this 38.

And he's only 9 years old.

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/AirlessJordan/status/1720296004543738136

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9-59OWb0AAMxu5?format=jpg&name=large

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9-6UypX0AAVqwN?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

[Phenomanul]

Bro, this is crazy.

He wasn't even forcing much of anything to get to this 38.

And he's only 9 years old.

The legend grows… imagine what will happen once he reaches puberty! :downspin:

[itzsoweezee]

It took 5 games, but I think Victor’s teammates have finally figured out that he’s completely unguardable

[tim_duncan_fan]

The legend grows… imagine what will happen once he reaches puberty! :downspin:

Full-beard Wembanyama might be crazy

[Holt's Cat]

Hey, that French kid is pretty good

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9--B7YWkAASsIp?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

[FlAVaK]

1720199124547518562

[MannyIsGod]

Lebron never scored 38 or more in his rookie year. He had 37 but not until much later in the season.

[spursparker9]

Lebron never scored 38 or more in his rookie year. He had 37 but not until much later in the season.

I think some player named Brandon Jenning scored 55 points within his first 10 games.

[Mr. Body]

Lebron never scored 38 or more in his rookie year. He had 37 but not until much later in the season.

Tbf LeBron came in during a much more defensive era, possibly the most defensive of all time.

[thiste]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9-2bwCXwAADTwG.jpg

[lefty]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9--B7YWkAASsIp?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

That’s how you take a shit on the Suns’s parquet floor.
Excellent fundamentals

[lefty]

Hey, that French kid is pretty good
Better than Porker

[Mugen]

This mfer is the biggest cheat code I've ever seen in sports tbh. If he stays healthy, he legit has a shot at the GOAT mantle.

[ace3g]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaUC11CPSHc

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9_AQxDW0AAEnsO?format=jpg&name=medium

[spursparker9]

Wemby should be the 1st rookie that have such as big impact in the 4th quarter

[szkorhetz]

What did we just witness. Amazing.

[ace3g]

https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1720332505671168000/gg3Zxe_n?format=jpg&name=large

[ace3g]

https://s.hdnux.com/photos/01/35/07/34/24409870/3/1200x0.jpg

[MI21]

This guy has had more highlights in 5 games than the entire Spurs team in the last 5 years :lol

[NameLess Scrub]

Except Wemby’s legs are much faster than God Shammgod :lmao

Watching Wemby staying in front of Wiggins after all that shaking, that was crazy

Wemby is only 1 player and he’s not blocking 10-15 shots a game. Why do they practice like they’re playing 5 Wembys?
Guess it’s relevant if they don’t want to lose a game winner because somebody tried to make it on Wemby.

[thiste]

Wemby is only 1 player and he’s not blocking 10-15 shots a game. Why do they practice like they’re playing 5 Wembys?
Guess it’s relevant if they don’t want to lose a game winner because somebody tried to make it on Wemby.

Last night down the stretch they were so focused on Wemby that the others (I can think of one by Zach) are getting freebies. And Victor's all too happy to let his teammates have it.

[John B]

Wemby is only 1 player and he’s not blocking 10-15 shots a game. Why do they practice like they’re playing 5 Wembys?
Guess it’s relevant if they don’t want to lose a game winner because somebody tried to make it on Wemby.

That’s the Wemby effect. The opponents will constantly find him and alter their shot if Wemby is near. Great stuff :lol

[Bill_Brasky]

:wow:worthy::hat

[cutewizard]

This mfer is the biggest cheat code I've ever seen in sports tbh. If he stays healthy, he legit has a shot at the GOAT mantle.

----------------------------------------------

Provided Humanity is still here after the Nibiru inbound

[Leetonidas]

----------------------------------------------

Provided Humanity is still here after the Nibiru inbound

Lmao

[exstatic]

Tbf LeBron came in during a much more defensive era, possibly the most defensive of all time.

Nah, man. Late 80s, early 90s was that. LeBron was drafted the summer we won our second 'chip and busted the Lakers 4peat. The league didn't like Bowen's defensive chops, so they eliminated the hand check altogether. THAT'S the league he came into,

[Leetonidas]

Nah, man. Late 80s, early 90s was that. LeBron was drafted the summer we won our second 'chip and busted the Lakers 4peat. The league didn't like Bowen's defensive chops, so they eliminated the hand check altogether. THAT'S the league he came into,

Wasn't that in 2005 though? 2004 was LeBrons rookie season and there. The average defensive rating went from 102.9 in 2004 to 106 in 2005. Since 1990 (I can only find the stat going back that far) only 1999 has a lower average defensive rating. I think LeBrons rookie season was the last of the smothering defense era

Edit: found some more stats on statmuse and assuming these are correct basically 1999 and 2004 are the two lowest average defensive rating per team in the modern era. Have to go back to 77 to find a lower average rating on defense

[Maddog]

5 games in 4th Quarter
Gm1- 9pts
Gm2- 9pts
Gm3- 2pts
Gm4- 9pts
Gm5- 10pts

Small sample size, but his 4th quarter average alone would put him among the top 10 ppg average among rookies

[exstatic]

Wasn't that in 2005 though? 2004 was LeBrons rookie season and there. The average defensive rating went from 102.9 in 2004 to 106 in 2005. Since 1990 (I can only find the stat going back that far) only 1999 has a lower average defensive rating. I think LeBrons rookie season was the last of the smothering defense era

Edit: found some more stats on statmuse and assuming these are correct basically 1999 and 2004 are the two lowest average defensive rating per team in the modern era. Have to go back to 77 to find a lower average rating on defense

When you say 2004, is that 2003-2004 or 2004-2005?

[JPB]

I think some player named Brandon Jenning scored 55 points within his first 10 games.

Nobody in NBA history had 38pt & 10rb within his first 5 games.

[Maddog]

I think some player named Brandon Jenning scored 55 points within his first 10 games.


Nobody in NBA history had 38pt & 10rb within his first 5 games.

Game 7 for Jennings
Funny how he has ended up being sort of a forgotten player

[Floyd Pacquiao]

Man is a quick learner, I’ve never seen a guy correct his mistakes as quick as him from one game to the next.

[couchman]

The biggest difference tonight is that he played more in the post and was available for easier looks.
And his teammates found him for those.

I think we saw the matchup nightmare he will present going forward.
When forwards were defending Wemby he went inside and just shot over them.
When Bigs were on him he went outside and shook them easily for 3s or got into the pick and roll.
I’ve also noticed his screens are improving. Still not great screens but improving

[exstatic]

The biggest difference tonight is that he played more in the post and was available for easier looks.
And his teammates found him for those.

I think we saw the matchup nightmare he will present going forward.
When forwards were defending Wemby he went inside and just shot over them.
When Bigs were on him he went outside and shook them easily for 3s or got into the pick and roll.
I’ve also noticed his screens are improving. Still not great screens but improving

He spun and cut for lobs like a wing player. That's not the same thing as playing in the post.

[couchman]

He spun and cut for lobs like a wing player. That's not the same thing as playing in the post.

True true.
I was referencing the position on the court, not the style of play.
Wemby is his own style of play. He wants lobs and so far he prefers to spin or face up: a lot like DRob did

[Seventyniner]

When you say 2004, is that 2003-2004 or 2004-2005?

2003-2004. You can check the far right column here to see league average offensive/defensive rating per season.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_stats_per_poss.html

In the post-merger era, the lowest league average ORtg for a season is 102.2 in 1999, followed by 102.9 in 2003-2004. It jumped to 106.1 in 2004-2005.

This chart also shows the trend in the last few years: higher offensive efficiency (driven by a lot more three point attempts), fewer turnovers, fewer offensive rebounds, fewer free throws (all of these are on a per-100 possessions basis).

Those are Dean Oliver's "Four Factors", which he weighted at 40%/25%/20%/15% respectively. In today's game it appears that teams are placing a greater emphasis on shooting, with weights of about 60%/16.6%/16.6%/6.8% as calculated in this article.

https://nbamath.com/fats-model/

[spurraider21]

https://twitter.com/AirlessJordan/status/1720279526943625578
yeah but how many other SFs have done this

[spurraider21]

This mfer is the biggest cheat code I've ever seen in sports tbh. If he stays healthy, he legit has a shot at the GOAT mantle.
if he stays healthy, he will be the cause of at least 1 rule change at some point in his career

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-twmy1Int-Q&ab_channel=NBAonESPN

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLkAfzuRruM&ab_channel=ESPN

[Spurs Homer]

Didnt take long at all…

that dude (keyshawn?) on undisputed with skip bayless said,

”um when can we start tampering….just saying , every player wants to play in los angeles…that purple and gold uniform…blah blah”


shocking….

[Mugen]

if he stays healthy, he will be the cause of at least 1 rule change at some point in his career

I mean Drew fouled him like 4 times yesterday without a call, it's already starting :lol

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld83fW6LdbA&ab_channel=JJRedick

[spursparker9]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J1EgdLt3EQ&ab_channel=HeatCheck

[The Truth #6]

I know a lot of people understandably are wanting Victor to go down into the post more. Is he a center or not? To me he's just a match up nightmare and whether he should play inside or outside should be dictated by matchups. For example, he's going to be guarded by 6'3 guy, then, lob the ball into the post to him so he can lay the ball up. If he's being guarded by a larger player then I think it's perfectly okay to pull him out of the paint, play more of a perimeter game, and let other people do back door cuts to the rim with the paint wide open. I think it should be a situational definition of what position he plays.

[Davidicus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J1EgdLt3EQ&ab_channel=HeatCheck

1:52 I didn't even think about how Wemby should get even more cheating buffer off his man due to his length and speed. So not only can he come block your 3 pointer from the paint, but he's already 1/2 step closer to begin with!

[ginobilized]

Unprecedented ceiling for Wemby.
Even with all the hype and hoopla around him, I believe he is significantly better than advertised.
As stated above, he's a quick learner. I can imagine the adrenaline, stress, pressure, and expectations made him, and the team, a little off kilter to start. To be settling in during his 4th game and to have the 4th qtr stats that he does, seems unfathomable.

19 yrs old in his first 5 games and he is demanding the ball in clutch time. The kicker is, he is delivering.

Gotta say the torture of the post-Duncan era looks like it was a fair price of admission to one of the greats being a Spur.

[spurraider21]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLYxko7D1OM

[Leetonidas]

The amount of hype he's getting after last night is crazy. Feels weird as a Spurs fan to have the entire NBA media fawning over one of our guys

[spurraider21]

i think we should exercise his 3rd year option

[baseline bum]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLYxko7D1OM

Coach Nick loves the Spurs. I remember in 2012 he wouldn't shave during the Spurs 20 game win streak.

[baseline bum]

The amount of hype he's getting after last night is crazy. Feels weird as a Spurs fan to have the entire NBA media fawning over one of our guys

Yeah it's definitely weird seeing a Spurs player get the Kobe treatment from the media.

[DAF86]

He spun and cut for lobs like a wing player. That's not the same thing as playing in the post.

lol bro, I guess this is gonna be the narrative from the "Wemby is a SF" guys :lol

Dude, whatch that BBall breakdown video. Pop spammed the play he used to run with Duncan and Robinson at the end of the game, where one would screen the other in the post and create all types of different actions from that look. That's clearly a bigman play/move.

I have no problem with Wemby taking as many 3's as he wants, as long as he gets double the paint touches during a game.

[spurraider21]

Coach Nick loves the Spurs. I remember in 2012 he wouldn't shave during the Spurs 20 game win streak.
he did then. his previous wemby vids had been a lot more reserved, harping on flaws here and there. he's all-in now

and yeah i miss those older days when his channel was young. think the quality has dipped in recent years

spurfan always liked coach nick because he was a kobe/westbrook critic as well

[FkLA]

I used to think KD's height/fluidity combination was the peak. It's crazy that in less than two decades an even bigger physical freak came along.

No way is there a next level to this shit, right? Wemby has to be the peak of the NBA player's evolution. And he's a fucking Spur. :lol