Victor Wembanyama‘s third NBA season was extraordinary. He won Defensive Player of the Year, finished second in MVP voting, led the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals, and continued to redefine what is possible for a player standing 7’4″.
Wemby was the best defender, brought competitiveness back to the All-Star Game, and cemented himself as one of the faces of the NBA.
Most stars his age are simply trying to survive playoff basketball, and Wembanyama is already carrying championship expectations.
That said, the French superstar isn’t perfect, and he knows it after his post-game comments revealed what he must improve on.
The NBA Finals against Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks exposed areas of Wembanyama’s game that still need work. He averaged 26.0 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.0 SPG, and 3.6 BPG on 42.3% FG, 27.3% 3-PT FG, and 78.6% FT.
Throughout the series, there were stretches where Towns dictated the physical battle, Jalen Brunson controlled the pace, and the Spurs’ superstar looked like a deer in the headlights. That’s the scary part for the rest of the league, but the big man needs to address his flaws if he wants another Finals appearance.
Wembanyama is already one of basketball’s three best players, and he still has obvious room for improvement. If he addresses these flaws, the Spurs could be looking at a dynasty built around him.
1. Improve His Physical Stature
This is the most obvious area for growth. Wembanyama has incredible height at 7’4″ with an 8’0″ wingspan, but throughout the Finals, there were moments when Karl-Anthony Towns simply looked stronger.
Towns established a deeper post position and bullied Wemby at times by leaning on him, pushing him to the perimeter, and forcing him into physical battles. It worked.
In Game 1, Towns posted 18 points and 12 rebounds while helping New York dominate the paint. In Game 2, he answered with 21 points on 8-12 shooting and 13 rebounds. Even in Game 4, when Towns scored only 13 points, he grabbed 10 rebounds and consistently generated second chances.
Meanwhile, Wembanyama often absorbed contact rather than delivering it. For the Finals, he averaged 26.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 3.8 blocks, and 2.6 turnovers per game. Those are elite numbers.
But statistics don’t always tell the entire story. There were possessions where Towns backed him down, sealed him under the rim, or prevented him from getting to preferred spots offensively.
The encouraging part is that this problem is fixable.
Giannis Antetokounmpo transformed his body. Nikola Jokic became significantly stronger. Joel Embiid added muscle without sacrificing skill. Wembanyama doesn’t need to become a bodybuilder, but another 15-20 pounds of muscle could change everything.
This is the next step for Wemby to take his game to the highest level, and he will get there.
2. Positioning On The Court
For someone with his physical gifts, Wembanyama sometimes makes life harder than it needs to be.
Too often, he drifted toward the perimeter during the Finals. Rather than establishing himself near the basket, where he shot approximately 60.3% this season, he floated around the three-point line waiting for touches.
There were possessions where San Antonio’s biggest advantage stood 28 feet from the hoop. That’s a waste of a generational weapon.
His Finals shot profile highlighted the issue. He frequently settled for contested jumpers instead of forcing defenders to deal with his length inside. In Game 5 alone, he attempted six three-pointers despite shooting just 1-6 from deep.
This isn’t solely on Wembanyama.
Head coach Mitch Johnson must do a better job designing actions that place his superstar in advantageous spots. Still, Wembanyama also needs to study film and recognize where he can be most dominant.
The truly great players understand spacing. Wembanyama is still learning this, and once the game slows down for him mentally, his efficiency could explode.
3. Develop Go-To Post Moves
Every legendary big man and MVP center has counters.
Shaquille O’Neal had the hook and slam dunk. Hakeem Olajuwon had the Dream Shake. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had the skyhook. Tim Duncan mastered the bank shot. Nikola Jokic with a floater. Joel Embiid has every fadeaway and power move in the book.
Wembanyama still relies too heavily on talent.
His height allows him to shoot over almost anyone, but the Finals showed that elite defenses can force him into difficult attempts. In Game 4, he scored 24 points but needed 25 shots to get there. In Game 5, he managed 19 points on 7-19 shooting.
That’s inefficient by superstar standards.
Imagine if Wembanyama developed one or two unstoppable post counters. At 7’4″ with an eight-foot wingspan, he doesn’t need 100 moves.
He only needs two elite ones. Once he finds them, he’ll become nearly impossible to contain in the playoffs.
4. Grow As A Leader
Wembanyama is still young, and reaching the Finals in his third season is an accomplishment that most superstars never achieve. There will naturally be growing pains.
But the Finals raised questions.
When San Antonio blew a 29-point lead in Game 4, the team appeared rattled. The Spurs struggled with composure, and there wasn’t an obvious emotional response from their franchise player.
After Game 2, Wembanyama’s comments suggested frustration and uncertainty. He looked shaken by mistakes and by New York’s physical approach.
That’s understandable. However, the burden of superstardom includes setting the tone.
Brunson never seemed to waver for New York. Even when shots weren’t falling, his teammates fed off his confidence. The same quality needs to emerge from Wembanyama.
Wembanyama just experienced his first taste of what it means to lead a team.
5. Improve His Three-Point Accuracy
Yes, Wembanyama should spend more time in the post. But modern basketball still requires spacing, and if Wemby does end up taking threes, he needs to hit them at a higher percentage.
Wembanyama shot 34.9% from three-point range this season. That’s respectable, but not enough to make defenses panic yet.
During the Finals, his outside shooting became even more inconsistent. In Game 1, he went 2-9 from deep. In Game 2, he finished 2-6. Game 3 was decent, going 2-4. Game 4 was poor, going 2-8. In Game 5, he connected on just 1-6 attempts. He shot 26.7% from deep in the Finals overall.
If Wembanyama can raise his overall percentage closer to 38% while reducing unnecessary attempts, defenders will face an impossible choice.
Because if Wembanyama becomes stronger around the rim and turns himself into a more efficient shooter, the NBA may not have an answer.
He already finished second in MVP voting and won Defensive Player of the Year.
The fact is that Victor Wembanyama still hasn’t reached his ceiling, and that’s a very scary thought.
