San Antonio Spurs Should Look For Wembanyama to Alter His Strategy

It's safe to say that Victor Wembanyama will be at the center of the San Antonio Spurs offense and defense next season. The 20-year-old came second to Rudy Gobert in the Defensive Player of the Year race and continued his dominance on defense during the 2024 Paris Olympics. On top of that, his ball-handling, size, and shooting potential make him an elite offensive weapon.

However, his rookie campaign, while dominant, did leave some room for growth. On the offensive end, he showed flashes of being a three-level scorer, but his efficiency did leave much to be desired.

In his final season in France before being drafted by the Spurs, Wembanyama shot 27.5 percent from three on five attempts per game. In his first NBA season, he boosted his attempts to 5.5 per game and made 32.5 percent of his shots, and in the Olympics, he made 28.9 percent of his 6.3 attempts. He is eager to shoot from deep, and once he starts making them, he will be one of the very best offensive players in the league.

During his rookie season, he shot 53.4 percent inside the arc but settled for 203 shots from further than ten feet, of which he made only 32.5 percent. Within ten feet, he shot 59.6 percent.

Entering his second season, if he is to take a leap on the offensive end, he will have to stop settling for contested shots in the midrange. While his three-point efficiency could be a bit better, don't expect him to sacrifice volume from deep, as adding a reliable shot is very important to his improvement. With his 7-4 frame and array of moves in the low post, he is already a menace down low, but he needs to stop settling for deep twos.

He is not LaMarcus Aldridge or Kevin Garnett, so getting as close to the basket will be key. He might need to add a little bit of weight to push his way to the hoop, but his dribble skills should do for now.

Luckily for Wembanyama, the Spurs added an elite passer in Chris Paul this offseason. And by drafting Stephon Castle fourth overall, the Spurs are making their strategy very clear: make it easy for Wembanyama to get to his spot. While he is adept at creating his own shot, expect him to operate without the ball while Paul waits for him to get an open look, before feeding him down low, lobbing it up for him at the rim, or kicking it out to him as a shooter.

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The possibilities are endless, but Wembanyama needs to be more comfortable backing down opponents if he gets the ball outside the paint.