Expectations for Victor Wembanyama's First Season

[John B]

Not too far off so far. Overestimated the assists but man Wemby is amazing.

I think the assists will go up some more as Wemby learns to pass off double/triple teams. The amazing part is these are early numbers and will only go higher as Wemby gets accustomed to NBA.

[thiste]

I think the assists will go up some more as Wemby learns to pass off double/triple teams. The amazing part is these are early numbers and will only go higher as Wemby gets accustomed to NBA.

I was thinking about this and it's not just about Wemby learning to pass off double teams, he can certainly improve but he knows how to do that already. He's also an above average passer which is logical given he can see the whole court at all times. No, what's keeping him from averaging more assists is simply that he doesn't touch the ball nearly enough.
I can see a future with him becoming a floor general ala Jokic or LeBron, where every single possession the ball passes through him, but he's not there yet.
He's still learning the NBA game and he's often waiting on the side for his teammates to even acknowledge him.
Eventually he'll become that, and I wouldn't be surprised for him to average 6 to 8 assists per game then, on top of everything else (which is mind blowing).

[DAF86]

Around 20/10/3(blks). Give or take 2pts and 2 rbds. Around 45% from the field.

Talking about spot on.

[spurraider21]

20 ppg on 43% FG (31% 3FG)
8 reb
4 blk
ROY
Spurs record: 36-46

Don't think he's really going to be load managed too much. Might get the occasional rest game but I'm not buying this media hype about Pop sitting him out of back to backs to not even playing him 65 games. I do think he's going to have streaky shooting nights, hence the 43% FG.

pretty good, right down to the FG%

think the blocks can get there if he keeps playing the 5

[baseline bum]

pretty good, right down to the FG%

think the blocks can get there if he keeps playing the 5

Had no idea Chet was going to be this good though, so Vic's in a real battle for ROY. Don't get me wrong, I expected big things from Holmgren after watching the summer league, but Chet's playing the best basketball I have ever seen out of him.

[Sugus]

Had no idea Chet was going to be this good though, so Vic's in a real battle for ROY. Don't get me wrong, I expected big things from Holmgren after watching the summer league, but Chet's playing the best basketball I have ever seen out of him.

Chet is a menace, and tbh the entire OKC team is. I'm crossing my fingers for a Harden-level up from their FO, because that seems like the only thing stopping them from perennial contention.

It's not even Chet I'm most concerned about, but Shai. He's so ing good it's unfair. We could tank for 5 years and still not come out with a player of his calibre to pair Wemby with.

[baseline bum]

Chet is a menace, and tbh the entire OKC team is. I'm crossing my fingers for a Harden-level up from their FO, because that seems like the only thing stopping them from perennial contention.

It's not even Chet I'm most concerned about, but Shai. He's so ing good it's unfair. We could tank for 5 years and still not come out with a player of his calibre to pair Wemby with.

Honestly think Chet is going to be the best player on that team in 2-3 years and it's not even going to be particularly close. Hope the NBA expands to Vegas and Seattle soon so the Spurs can go back to the EC tbh.

[spurraider21]

Honestly think Chet is going to be the best player on that team in 2-3 years and it's not even going to be particularly close. Hope the NBA expands to Vegas and Seattle soon so the Spurs can go back to the EC tbh.

no reason chet cant have dirk's iso game tbh

in addition to his top tier defense

[DAF86]

pretty good, right down to the FG%

think the blocks can get there if he keeps playing the 5

The Spurs winning 36 is pretty laughable in retrospect, tbh.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I wonder if he'll be the first ROY on a team that won half as many games as the year before? Shaping up that way. His numbers as a center might be hard for voters to pass on.

[TD 21]

Honestly think Chet is going to be the best player on that team in 2-3 years and it's not even going to be particularly close. Hope the NBA expands to Vegas and Seattle soon so the Spurs can go back to the EC tbh.

Then you think Holmgren is going to be an MVP favorite, because Gilgeous-Alexander is a top 5 player right now.

[baseline bum]

Then you think Holmgren is going to be an MVP favorite, because Gilgeous-Alexander is a top 5 player right now.

I do. Holmgren is such a versatile two way player with a smooth stroke.

[TD 21]

I do. Holmgren is such a versatile two way player with a smooth stroke.

But will he be a go-to scorer to the degree (volume + efficiency) you generally need to be to become top 3?

[Obstructed_View]

I was thinking about this and it's not just about Wemby learning to pass off double teams, he can certainly improve but he knows how to do that already. He's also an above average passer which is logical given he can see the whole court at all times. No, what's keeping him from averaging more assists is simply that he doesn't touch the ball nearly enough.
I can see a future with him becoming a floor general ala Jokic or LeBron, where every single possession the ball passes through him, but he's not there yet.
He's still learning the NBA game and he's often waiting on the side for his teammates to even acknowledge him.
Eventually he'll become that, and I wouldn't be surprised for him to average 6 to 8 assists per game then, on top of everything else (which is mind blowing).

Agree. He needs to touch the ball on way more possessions.

[manufan10]

18/9/3.5

Rookie of the year

21.4/10.6/3.6

[scott]

22 pts, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, 5 assists. ROY, All-NBA Defensive Team if not DPOY, 2nd Team All-NBA, All-Star. Spurs win 45+

Around 20/10/3(blks). Give or take 2pts and 2 rbds. Around 45% from the field.

20 ppg on 43% FG (31% 3FG)
8 reb
4 blk
ROY
Spurs record: 36-46

Don't think he's really going to be load managed too much. Might get the occasional rest game but I'm not buying this media hype about Pop sitting him out of back to backs to not even playing him 65 games. I do think he's going to have streaky shooting nights, hence the 43% FG.

Some folks on the first page who were relatively close... gonna go page by page here at quote all those who got close.

[scott]

22 pts, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, 5 assists. ROY, All-NBA Defensive Team if not DPOY, 2nd Team All-NBA, All-Star. Spurs win 45+

Around 20/10/3(blks). Give or take 2pts and 2 rbds. Around 45% from the field.

20 ppg on 43% FG (31% 3FG)
8 reb
4 blk
ROY
Spurs record: 36-46

Don't think he's really going to be load managed too much. Might get the occasional rest game but I'm not buying this media hype about Pop sitting him out of back to backs to not even playing him 65 games. I do think he's going to have streaky shooting nights, hence the 43% FG.

I think Wemby will:

1) Play more than people think (in MPG and # of games)
2) Less ppg than people think (I'll say 17-18ppg)
3) More rebounds than guesses so far (11-12 rpg)
4) A bpg stat that is eye popping in the modern era (I'll go 3.5 bpg)
5) A surprising assist stat line (5 apg)
6) A huge year for someone else who really capitalizes on Wemby's gravity (how about Tre or Bran)

32mpg
70 games played

19 ppg on 45% fg%, 33% 3p%, 80% FT
11 rpg
3 assists
3.5 blocks
0.5 steals

spurs end up with a record of 33-49.

Is in the talks for ROY but will ultimately go to Chet for BS reasons.

Goes to the Olympics with a chip on his shoulder, puts up MVP numbers, and carries the French team to the finals to lose to the US in a close game for gold.

27.5 mpg
21 ppg
10 rpg
4 blk
3.5 assist
77%ft
47%fg
3point%32

70+ games
30+ mpg
23 ppg
10 rpg
4 ast
3 blk
48 fg%
36 3p%
85 ft%
all star
roy
3rd all-nba team
2nd all-defensive team

20 pts
12 rbs
4 blks
4 assts
2 stls
30-35 minutes per game
zero load management

Didn't realize I didn't have to go page by page

[MultiTroll]

I'm seeing a lot of nifty passes by Wama turn into .....bricks?

Teams are gonna double him and we need others to step up and make open shots.

Confidence level in that in this point, along with CIA Pop strategies......eeesh.

I gotta see who does or does not joing the roster in these next months.

Wama is gonna kick ass. He might be surrounded by incompetence.

This Fabbs guy really knows his chit.

[CorrectCrusader]

Wemby is him
What a season

[John B]

Some folks on the first page who were relatively close... gonna go page by page here at quote all those who got close.

I missed that All-Star (which Wemby should’ve been) and the Spurs winning 45+ wins (I still think they tanked most of the season) if they played the right roster.

[TrainOfThought5]

He’s going to struggle early. Like 15 ppg and 7 rebounds per game. His efficiency isn’t going to be great either at like 45%. Pop is going to hold him back. His teammates are going to ice him out (not bc they’re bad people but bc they don’t know what it’s like to actually have a franchise player who should get the ball.) KJ and Vassell will be outshooting him. KJ at 17 shots a game and Vassell at 16. While Wemby will be at like 14.

second half of the season Pop is going to actually start treating him like a ing franchise player and his stats are gonna skyrocket 22 and 10. He’s going to know his spots, teammates are gonna pass him the ball or they won’t play. Pop is going to go ballistic at Kj and bench him. Tre Jones might actually learn how to play pic n roll effectively and maybe just maybe he will hit his wide ass open 3 point shots. and the whole team is going to learn how to throw a ing lob pass but most effective will be Sochan. And Victor will shine and win ROY

not too shabby.

[baseline bum]

Some folks on the first page who were relatively close... gonna go page by page here at quote all those who got close.

I was really expecting 23-24 Wemby to play like 23 Wemby when instead 24 Wemby played like I was expecting out of 24-25 Wemby. Glad to see the shooting percentage went up significantly in the second half of the season and the TO went down until the last ten games or so of the season.