Victor Wembanyama was cleared to resume basketball activity after missing out on the last 36 games of last season. The three-time NBA champion believes Wenbagnama has understood how to make the San Antonio Spurs a success.
Last season, Victor Wenbanyama was on track to win Player of the Year and earn his first All-NBA team.
He averaged 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.8 blocks and a 3-point range and averaged 35.2% of the league average from the range, before a thrombotic diagnosis ended his season early.
On Monday, Wenbanyama was cleared to officially play, and along with towns like Dearon Fox, Dylan Harper and Stefon Castle, the San Antonio Spurs appear to be poised to make the playoffs.
Udonis Haslem believes the Spurs have made some important moves around the franchise player, and he knows how to unlock him.
Wenbanyama was not qualified to be the official leader of any stats, but he was first in blocks per game and would have finished most blocks per game.
Adding 11 boards per contest, he is a rather traditional 7-foot-3 center and needs to dominate the interior.
However, the 3-point attempt of 8.8 per game was the ninth best in the league, ahead of both James Harden and Trae Young. Udonis Haslem urged him to play a more traditional role.
“I love how Victor can do offensively and defensively,” the veteran raved about it. “I want him to cut down three of those. I know he’ll shoot eight or nine threes. I’m a bit old school… I want him to get down there and dominate a little more with his size.
Like Nikola Djokic, Wenbanyama is in a new era of NBA centers, but he focuses on masters of scoring and defense instead of passing and ball handling.
The Spurs added maximizing Wenbanyama this offseason, to sign back Luke Cornett, backing up. Haslem is sure the Spurs can take the next step.
“I love the roster,” he continued. “Don’t forget to bring Luke Cornett from Boston and what he can do in the playoffs, another guy with championship experience and knows what it’s like to be in such a locker room.
In his rookie season, Wenbanyama shot 5.5 3 seconds per game, earning only 32.5% of that. In his second season, he is not an elite marksman, but he has improved both his volume and efficiency.
It’s easy for critics and critics to encourage him to get his paint. After all, with a 7-foot-3 and 8-foot wingspan, only a handful of players can stop him with a basket, but it’s essential to his success that Wenbagnama is a real three-point threat.
In his rookie season, he shot 60.6% within 10 feet of the basket. It’s a borderline elite, but in his second season he made 68.5% of his shots from the same distance.
Part of it can be attributed to improved strength and technique, but many of it can choke up to his aggressive gravity. He needs to be respected by the boundaries. This will allow more space to work as you get closer to the basket.
As a true center, he will always be closer to the basket and more effective, but he is more than capable of stretching the floor, and as he draws out defense, he should be able to take the next step in scoring development.