AUSTIN, Texas — The Victor Wembanyama wave, much like the inception of a typhoon in the Southern Hemisphere, arrived with ferocity and velocity and in a matter of mere seconds. And in each instance, the Frenchman’s gravitational pull was its epicenter.
Two minutes into the second half Thursday night, Wembanyama found himself stationed on the left wing with two Suns defenders attempting to crowd his vision. Noticing an open Stephon Castle camped a few feet behind the arc, Wembanyama backed his defender down just enough to leave Castle with enough time and space to launch, before flinging a one-armed pass right in Castle’s pocket.
On the very next possession, Wembanyama yelled at the top of his lungs, calling out defensive coverages while Phoenix attempted to generate a good look in his orbit — to no avail. Seconds later, Wembanyama sprinted up the floor, walked into a trailing triple and knocked it down with confidence and aplomb.
Suns head coach Jordan Ott immediately motioned for a timeout, but the irreversible damage had already been done. Wembanyama turned toward a raucous crowd, threw up the “Hook ‘em Horns” as an ode to the University of Texas’ Moody Center, the Spurs’ home for the next few days, and celebrated with his teammates.
“When he’s sharp, whether he’s directly or indirectly affecting the game with his gravity, it sets the table for everybody else,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said following San Antonio’s 121-94 win. “It can be hard at times — I’m sure I can’t imagine, but if I tried to I still can’t — a 22-year-old with so many gifts, talents and weapons. To just trust that being sharp fundamentally still leads to greatness.”
The significance of Wembanyama’s performance — he finished with a modest 17 points but added 11 rebounds, five blocks and four assists — is tied to the Spurs’ goals both near and further down the line. Thursday night’s blowout was San Antonio’s first game coming out of the All-Star break, the first official opportunity for the Frenchman to put action to the weekend words he uttered about the competitive faucet he can never seem to turn off. Thursday also signified the start of the Spurs’ second half push that serves a myriad of purposes; for De’Aaron Fox to legitimize his All-Star nod; for Johnson to demonstrate why he remains one of the league’s brightest tacticians; and for Wemby to illustrate why the juxtaposition of his fighting spirit and unique talent make him a natural for the next face of the league.
“It comes from honesty towards myself and the game,” Wembanyama said. “It’s the game I love. I try not to take it for granted and when I’m on that court, I’m trying to win. My younger self, when I was a kid, if he saw myself playing soft he wouldn’t be proud. I’m striving for the younger Vic.”
Suns star Devin Booker played just nine minutes due to a hip issue, and Dillon Brooks missed the game because of suspension, necessary context for what should have been a hotly contested matchup between Western Conference opponents. But around this time last year, Wembanyama’s season was cut short due to deep vein thrombosis. The growth, not only from Wemby but from his teammates as well, is tangible and puts the Spurs in a different headspace as they gear up for a playoff push.
“I think there’s been obvious changes in one year,” Wembanyama said. “Both from an individual and team standpoint. As a team, we have more expectations and are more ready. We’re fighting for something, every game will be meaningful from now on. And personally, there’s no better experience to grow than when your back is against the wall. I did everything I could to get better — no regrets.”
Not that Wembanyama’s five blocks should come as a surprise — he currently leads the NBA in total blocks (106) and blocks per game (2.7). It’s the shots that teams don’t take, the rim attacks and decisions that are altered when he’s merely on the floor, that is the largest indicator of a feared team. When Wembanyama is on the floor, opponents are taking 6% less shots at the rim and 3% less shots from 4 to 14 feet — impacts registering in the 98th and 95th percentile, according to Cleaning the Glass. The shots that do make it through the cracks aren’t that successful, either. Opponents shoot 11% worse on long 2s, 6% worse on short twos and nearly 4% worse as a collective effective field-goal percentage. Wembanyama is either in the 99th or 100th percentile in virtually every defensive advanced metric — and yet he still feels there’s another level to reach. Johnson not so subtly admitted he’s obsessed with the idea of pairing Wembanyama more with reserve center Luke Kornet, which would give the Spurs more cover than a solar eclipse. Best of luck, NBA.
“I can for sure get better,” Wembanyama said of his shot blocking. “I think I’ve been getting better even though the numbers don’t show it, because players avoid [shooting] clearly. It’s getting harder to block shots. But my athleticism, I’m nowhere near my peak. Just consistency, staying focused through every quarter and every game. Having that drive to block shots.”
San Antonio (39-16) now sits just 2.5 games behind Oklahoma City and should feel confident about its chances of closing the gap even further. This team possesses the depth, floor spacing, guard proficiency, rim protection, coaching prowess and star quality that marks a true contender. Internally, the Spurs aren’t fazed by the reigning champs, having emphatically beaten them multiple times already this season. But for Wembanyama — and the Spurs, for that matter — the best is yet to come, which is the worst possible news for 29 other teams.
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