With Wemby fever in full swing across the NBA, all eyes will be on the San Antonio Spurs this season as they look to build a proper contender around their young superstar prospect. But according to one international coach, Victor Wembanyama is lucky that he’s joining during the modern age and not during the golden era of defensive physicality.
“Realistically, I was afraid that someone would run into him and break his knees,” the coach said about Wembanyama, via Basket News. “I watched San Antonio [Spurs]. It’s no longer a fight in the NBA like it used to be. Now, everything is fluffy. Imagine Charles Oakley guarding Wembanyama. One contact, and he goes back to Paris. I prefer that kind of basketball, but I’m still old-fashioned.”
The NBA has obviously changed a lot over the years. During the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, the game was very physical, and big men played a much more prominent role for teams across the league. Today, the only “big men” that Wembanyama will face are stars like Rudy Gobert, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic, but even they aren’t as punishing as old-school rim runners from back in the day.
Has The NBA Gone Soft?
The evolution of the game cannot be traced back to any singular moment, but the explosion of the three-point shot has certainly made it harder for old-school bigs to crack the rotation. In today’s perimeter-oriented league, only those who shoot will succeed but that wasn’t always the case. Years ago, the game was dominated by frontcourt beasts like Dennis Rodman, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and other abusive bigs who bullied their opponents around the rim.
At 7-4 and 209 pounds, Wembanyama likely would have been bodied in the paint by those old-school legends but he’s fortunate enough to not have to deal with those types of players today. While you can’t blame Wembanyama for dominating in the circumstances he was given, it says something that he’s able to play at such a high level so early on in his career. With nobody at the right length or size to get in his way, it’s no surprise that Victor has hit the ground running in his debut weeks.
Victor Wembanyama Has Great Expectations
Hailed as the best NBA prospect since LeBron James, there is no denying the level of pressure that Wemby has faced to start his career. Given the keys to the Spurs franchise, he was expected to deliver from day one and he hasn’t disappointed so far. In his first 8 games, Victor is averaging 18.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game for the Spurs but his efficiency leaves a lot to be desired at just 44% on the season so far.
The most interesting thing about Wembamnyama’s game is that he’s mostly a perimeter player. Despite his ridiculous size, Victor is more of a shooter than a finisher and his career will be tied to his performance from beyond the arc. The biggest question for him now is what kind of defender he can be in the NBA. So far, he looks pretty good on that end of the floor but he may be asked to deliver more if the Spurs struggle to win games this season.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
