Article: 6 Questions as Victor Wembanyama Makes Summer League Debut [Archive]

Mr. Body

07-07-2023, 03:18 PM

Watch him be out there for the jump, then the Spurs immediately foul to take him out of the game tbh.

Where he and Britney Spears clasp hands in a gesture of fellowship and triumph, with her standing on a gigantic chair.

spurraider21

07-07-2023, 03:23 PM

spurs are gonna troll and not have him handle the opening tip. or instruct him not to jump

Bruno

07-07-2023, 03:24 PM

I've read people saying here that Wembanyama doesn't want to play center. Has he actually said that?

He played center the whole season in France and it will likely be his best position in NBA.

FuzzyLumpkins

07-07-2023, 03:33 PM

I've read people saying here that Wembanyama doesn't want to play center. Has he actually said that?

He played center the whole season in France and it will likely be his best position in NBA.

Those two notions were summed up by Wembanyama himself in a single quote. "I had literally zero responsibility. I never had the ball, even at practice. The coach played me at center," Wembanyama said of a 2019 showcase he played in. "I was really frustrated even coming to the game. I knew it wasn't going to go well. So it didn't go well."

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/wemby-watch-victor-wembanyama-prefers-not-to-play-center-so-which-nba-rebuilder-is-best-suited-for-phenom/

I think it is not so much about position as it is about role. He wants to play the perimeter and the post is the impression I get.

TD 21

07-07-2023, 03:33 PM

^

Givony said on Windhorst's podcast in the winter, that this is a misnomer.

He claimed he doesn't want to be put in the box of a traditional C, but that he primarily plays (now played) it for his team and has no problem doing so.

DPG21920

07-07-2023, 03:41 PM

Im interested in seeing if he has any playmaking chops and how advanced and willing he is in that area if he’s drawing attention

spurraider21

07-07-2023, 03:44 PM

Im interested in seeing if he has any playmaking chops and how advanced and willing he is in that area if he’s drawing attention
if he wants to pad his assist numbers in the preseason, he can just keep passing the ball to champagnie :lol

Bruno

07-07-2023, 03:46 PM

Those two notions were summed up by Wembanyama himself in a single quote. "I had literally zero responsibility. I never had the ball, even at practice. The coach played me at center," Wembanyama said of a 2019 showcase he played in. "I was really frustrated even coming to the game. I knew it wasn't going to go well. So it didn't go well."

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/wemby-watch-victor-wembanyama-prefers-not-to-play-center-so-which-nba-rebuilder-is-best-suited-for-phenom/

I think it is not so much about position as it is about role. He wants to play the perimeter and the post is the impression I get.

If it's that, he's clearly refering to a role rather than a postion.

He's talking in length about it in the video at about the 24min30sec mark. It's in french but there are english subtitles:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHXv9kQ6WQE

Mnky

07-07-2023, 03:50 PM

I've read people saying here that Wembanyama doesn't want to play center. Has he actually said that?

He played center the whole season in France and it will likely be his best position in NBA.

He has specifically said he wants to play power forward and the spurs have been specifically looking for centers for a reason.

Putting him as a center severely limits his ability and makes a strength a weakness. Think that'd be the worse position for him. Why would playing a frail skill player against the heaviest dudes in the NBA be his best position? I don't really get that logic. PF makes much more sense as he can easily rotate with the SF as well. He's always been a forwards. He's just really tall.

heyheymymy

07-07-2023, 03:54 PM

I would not be surprised in the least if after all the over analyzing on SpursTalk, Victor plays some straight up center tonight like no sweat.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him play SF even. Realistically he will probably play mostly PF.

Might be some experimentation in Vegas that won't happen as much in regular season games though but I wonder if fans are locking him into PF when the coaches and even Vic don't really feel like it's as mandatory.

Could be more matchup specific and unless it's like Embiid or Joker there may be a green light for everyone else?

Same thing with mins restrictions. Are fans bubble wrapping Vic more than necessary and in reality he can sustain far more positional flexibility and wear and tear mins durations without as much restriction as anticipated?

Vic played pretty hard during LNB playoffs and took minimal short breaks before subbing back in. Aside from some back pain he was holding up pretty well. Guess he got sluggish a bit once in the Finals perhaps but still, looked good conditioning wise. Prob won't push it too far in Summer League esp against the Hornets who may get blown out early based on how they played in Sacramento.

Ed Helicopter Jones

07-07-2023, 03:58 PM

If Wemby goes past 20 minutes I'd be surprised.

I actually hope he "officially" is listed as a center, because he has a chance of redefining what that position looks like, similar to what the Joker has accomplished.

Weird for me to be so excited about a summer league debut. Even if he goes 0-6 with 4 fouls you can't read too much into it.

ace3g

07-07-2023, 04:18 PM

My reaction when Wemby wins the jump ball (https://streamable.com/l0izq3) :lol

Speaking of jumpball, as a callback to this moment...

https://static.media.thinknum.com/media/uploads/shaqtin_a_fool_pop.gif

Multiverse prediction: Wemby wins jumpball, Pop calls timeout and benches Wemby. After game when Pop is interviewed, he states "we never said how many minutes he would play..."

DAF86

07-07-2023, 04:30 PM

He has specifically said he wants to play power forward and the spurs have been specifically looking for centers for a reason.

Where? When? Can you provide a link?

Putting him as a center severely limits his ability and makes a strength a weakness. Think that'd be the worse position for him. Why would playing a frail skill player against the heaviest dudes in the NBA be his best position? I don't really get that logic. PF makes much more sense as he can easily rotate with the SF as well. He's always been a forwards. He's just really tall.

He literally has played center his entire career. :lol

lefty20

07-07-2023, 04:36 PM

Where? When? Can you provide a link?

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/wemby-watch-victor-wembanyama-prefers-not-to-play-center-so-which-nba-rebuilder-is-best-suited-for-phenom/

I think one of the local beat reporters also tweeted something from an interview on draft night. Couldn't find that one rn

DAF86

07-07-2023, 04:37 PM

Even though Wembanyama is 7-foot-3.5 without shoes, he actually plays more like a guard than he does a traditional, rim-running center

Wembanyama plays like a modern day center. Jokic also has guardlike skills but nobody would say he's anything but a center.

DAF86

07-07-2023, 04:41 PM

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/wemby-watch-victor-wembanyama-prefers-not-to-play-center-so-which-nba-rebuilder-is-best-suited-for-phenom/

I think one of the local beat reporters also tweeted something from an interview on draft night. Couldn't find that one rn

That quote comes from the video Bruno posted earlier. Wemby didn't talk about the position itself, but the role. The coach wanted Wemby to do traditional center stuff, just rebound the ball and set picks. Wemby is obviously much more versatile than that. But playing center doesn't mean you can't do other things, just watch at the best player in the World right now.

heyheymymy

07-07-2023, 04:41 PM

Probably reading way too much into it but the clips from the team practice show Vic shooting corner threes I think twice? I know it wasn't like a real scrimmage so I may be off base but-

Makes me wonder if that is coming off of sets that feature Vic as a wing? Are we arguing C vs PF when it's maybe been more SF all along?

Anyway, can't wait for tonight. Will answer a lot of questions as far as how PATFO view Victor positionally.

lefty20

07-07-2023, 04:43 PM

That quote comes from the video Bruno (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=2449) posted earlier. Wemby didn't talk about the position itself, but the role. The coach wanted Wemby to do traditional center stuff, just rebound the ball and set picks. Wemby is obviously much more versatile than that. But playing center doesn't mean you can't do other things, just watch at the best player in the World right now.

I agree. But it will sill come down to match-ups.

If Jokic, Embiid or Nurkic, Val, Vucevic are on the opposite side. Wemby will play the 4 and Collins/Bassey/Barlow/Mamu will line up at 5.

CGD

07-07-2023, 04:47 PM

I've read people saying here that Wembanyama doesn't want to play center. Has he actually said that?

He played center the whole season in France and it will likely be his best position in NBA.

It would solve a lot of current roster questions if he did. I bet it’s based on match up in the end.

Tre-Devin-Keldon-Sochan-Wemby

That’s ideal unless it’s one of the few nights they face Jokic etc

Mnky

07-07-2023, 04:54 PM

Where? When? Can you provide a link?

He literally has played center his entire career. :lol

They've always put him at center, and someone already posted the quotes of him talking about those situations. How he knew it would be bad because it limited him.

It's not any different from high school coaches putting the tallest kid at center even though he's a guard. Wemby has always been a forward who was put at center.

And yea on draft night they asked him where he saw himself in the Spurs when they did the round table questions and he responded at power forward.

exstatic

07-07-2023, 04:54 PM

Wembanyama plays like a modern day center. Jokic also has guardlike skills but nobody would say he's anything but a center.

He has guard like passing, but that's about it. When he brings the ball up the court, he literally palms the ball every dribble. I don't consider that a skill.

heyheymymy

07-07-2023, 04:58 PM

It would solve a lot of current roster questions if he did. I bet it’s based on match up in the end.

Tre-Devin-Keldon-Sochan-Wemby

That’s ideal unless it’s one of the few nights they face Jokic etc

Would completely unlock the roster balance, agree.

Put Vic under the tip-off tonight! Let's see it.

exstatic

07-07-2023, 04:59 PM

Would completely unlock the roster balance, agree.

Put Vic under the tip-off tonight! Let's see it.

Oh, I'm sure he jumps mid court every night.

Seventyniner

07-07-2023, 05:12 PM

Oh, I'm sure he jumps mid court every night.

If he even has to jump at all.

DAF86

07-07-2023, 07:04 PM

They've always put him at center, and someone already posted the quotes of him talking about those situations. How he knew it would be bad because it limited him.

It's not any different from high school coaches putting the tallest kid at center even though he's a guard. Wemby has always been a forward who was put at center.

And yea on draft night they asked him where he saw himself in the Spurs when they did the round table questions and he responded at power forward.

Dude, you literally have a French poster here saying that what Wemby said on that interview isn't that he has a problem with playing center, it has a problem with coaches who limit what centers can do.

scott

07-07-2023, 07:09 PM

Why does everyone keep trying to shoehorn our PG of the future into the C position?

objective

07-07-2023, 07:20 PM

Didn't the Metropolitans have a Center who was hurt most of the season causing Wemby to have to be the center?

I thought I had read that somewhere

CGD

07-07-2023, 07:24 PM

Would completely unlock the roster balance, agree.

Put Vic under the tip-off tonight! Let's see it.

I also wonder if the spurs think Sochan can level up on some of the non-posting Centers. Kind of like Draymond

cutewizard

07-07-2023, 07:24 PM

Knoxxx

07-07-2023, 07:33 PM

He has guard like passing, but that's about it. When he brings the ball up the court, he literally palms the ball every dribble. I don't consider that a skill.

it’s a skill if you get away with it!

heyheymymy

07-07-2023, 07:36 PM

I also wonder if the spurs think Sochan can level up on some of the non-posting Centers. Kind of like Draymond

If Sochan or maybe Mamu can cover some situational center it would further unlock roster balance. Dont like just Bassey behind Zollins

Knoxxx

07-07-2023, 07:42 PM

If Sochan or maybe Mamu can cover some situational center it would further unlock roster balance. Dont like just Bassey behind Zollins

OMG the Spurs are fine at the center position they have like 6 options! Wemby, Bassey, Barlow, Sochan, Mamu, Collins. Plug and play based on matchups, many teams are partial to small ball centers these days anyway.

baseline bum

07-07-2023, 07:54 PM

Weird for me to be so excited about a summer league debut. Even if he goes 0-6 with 4 fouls you can't read too much into it.

Yeah I haven't been this excited about summer league since Tony's debut there in 2001.

timvp

07-07-2023, 08:09 PM

Yeah I haven't been this excited about summer league since Tony's debut there in 2001.

:tu TP was so good in his summer league debut that the Sonics immediately called offering Gary Payton for him.

baseline bum

07-07-2023, 08:16 PM

:tu TP was so good in his summer league debut that the Sonics immediately called offering Gary Payton for him.

And the Spurs told them to go fuck their mother some more

timvp

07-07-2023, 08:16 PM

And the Spurs told them to go fuck their mother some more

I think you paraphrased it but yeah :lol

Obstructed_View

07-07-2023, 10:26 PM

And then Parker tore up GP in the playoffs.

GAustex

07-07-2023, 10:37 PM

And then Parker tore up GP in the playoffs.

Unmercifully tore GP up in the playoffs

ducks

07-07-2023, 10:41 PM

And then Parker tore up GP in the playoffs.

But that was not good enough pop thought they should get Kidd

cd98

07-07-2023, 10:42 PM

Dude looked a little tired and was under a lot of pressure. He’ll turn it around and Spurs will develop the hell out of this guy. The stuff you can’t teach, he has. One game showing his rust is essentially meaningless.

Mnky

07-07-2023, 10:49 PM

Dude, you literally have a French poster here saying that what Wemby said on that interview isn't that he has a problem with playing center, it has a problem with coaches who limit what centers can do.

�� Bro, being French somehow makes a normal person extra ordinary or something? Wemby has made it clear he wants to be a perimeter player.

You saw that for better or worse in tonight's game. He was given the ball a ton on the perimeter.

EricB

07-08-2023, 12:02 AM

:tu TP was so good in his summer league debut that the Sonics immediately called offering Gary Payton for him.

I remember a certain poster here who loved headbands irate they didn’t make the deal

DPG21920

07-08-2023, 01:18 AM

Im interested in seeing if he has any playmaking chops and how advanced and willing he is in that area if he’s drawing attention

He does apparently

DPG21920

07-08-2023, 01:21 AM

:tu TP was so good in his summer league debut that the Sonics immediately called offering Gary Payton for him.

Well if that’s the case Wemby trade value is Gary Payton…..II lol

MI21

07-08-2023, 01:37 AM

I remember a certain poster here who loved headbands irate they didn’t make the deal

:lol the loving headbands got me.

polandprzem

07-08-2023, 01:46 AM

Well after seeing those highlights. Again I wish him luck to be healthy. Idk how he looked few years back but his knees and gate is looking like a problem. So I will watch how he handles this and if he will develop his athleticism because now he is not even on a decent level.

Bruno

07-08-2023, 02:20 AM

Wembanyama's idea behind his offensive game is being able to adjust it depending on who is defending him:
- Against bigs, he wants to play them outside with his speed.
- Against smaller players, he wants to play closer to the rim and post them up.

Keeping this versatility seems important to him but it has a cost: at 19 years old, he is good at a lot of things but great at nothing. Aside of a nice baseline turnaround jumpshot, all his offense still need improvement. It's just that developing a versatile offensive game takes way more time than being specialized in one area.

Wembanyama and Spurs face a choice on how they want to work:
- Working and everything and trying to improve all his facets at the same time.
- Working on a specific area and when he is great at it, expanding his game.

To me, the second choice is the better. Wembanyama's versatility plan look amazing in theory but in practice but in reality there are certain aspect of the game like dribbling where he will never be great because he is too tall. They should focus first on post up game, pick and roll with Wembanyama setting the pick and catch&shoot. They can later work on his face up game and drives.

EricB

07-08-2023, 03:03 AM

:lol the loving headbands got me.

headbands = championships

EricB

07-08-2023, 03:04 AM