A sobering thought that I couldn’t fairly maintain at bay whereas in any other case having fun with NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesdays on Peacock was that this may simply be one thing we have to get used to. Victor Wembanyama standing on the sidelines, trying like a cross between a caged animal and a confused toddler who had been instructed to not play together with his toys. I’m not speaking about solely this season both. I’m speaking concerning the bigger thought of being followers of a group constructed round a 7 foot 5 French colossus who appears decided to push his physique to the outer limits of what’s doable on a basketball court docket. We’re in uncharted waters and the entire thing might be extra wobbly than we’re comfy acknowledging.
We heard it time and again throughout his rise as a prospect, via the draft course of, and once more within the lead as much as his Spurs debut. This man goes to be wonderful if he can keep wholesome. That “if” is doing quite a lot of heavy lifting in there. On the floor, certain, it feels like a generic speaking level that applies to any younger star. Who isn’t going to have a greater profession if they’ll handle to keep away from getting injured on a regular basis? The factor with Victor, although, is that all the things about him is totally different. He’s so tall. He’s so lengthy. He must placed on weight to stop accidents, however he additionally must not placed on an excessive amount of weight so as to forestall getting injured. His elaborate stretching routine needs to be carried out on daily basis with the precision of a bomb technician. All of it simply feels extra precarious than you need it to be.
I swear I’m not making an attempt to Hen Little this case and inform you the sky is falling simply because his calf is a little bit sore. I simply assume it is a actuality we have to get comfy with. The danger of Victor Wembanyama getting harm is bigger than it’s for lots of different gamers. His anatomy is exclusive. It places pressure on his joints and muscle mass and knees and ankles and bones in ways in which nobody else actually has to cope with. The possibilities of him struggling one thing that retains him out for a two month stretch or a season or, knock on wooden, even longer really feel excessive. Larger than most. Have a look at Invoice Walton, Yao Ming, or Greg Oden prior to now or, shoot, take a look at Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis proper now. Huge males on this league staying wholesome 100% of the time isn’t one thing that occurs and Victor Wembanyama is likely one of the greatest males we’ve got. For those who can’t see the items of that puzzle sitting on the board then you might be being willfully ignorant at this level.
Now let me pull again from the hysteria for a second and restate that, sure, that is all conjecture. Victor is harm proper now, however he can be again quickly. We’re good. We’re superb. We’re okay.
I simply wish to acknowledge that the Spurs, as a group and a franchise and a enterprise, have rather a lot using on the long run well being of Victor Wembanyama. He’s central to all the things. They’re going to train excessive warning each time they’ll. Meaning he’s going to overlook per week or two or three. Repeatedly. If he wakes up with a cramp in his foot he’s going to sit down. If he slept humorous on his arm he’s going to sit down. If he has an eyelash caught in his eye then he’s going to sit down. The precedence is rarely going to be you or me or NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesdays on Peacock. He’s going to sit down. He’s going to sit down rather a lot.
Tim Duncan was not proof against this both and that turned out fairly nice, proper? I imply, for higher or worse, the Spurs virtually invented the idea of “DNP – We Don’t Care About This Recreation.” That is in our blood! He sat on a regular basis and the group was higher for it. He was brisker for the playoffs and different guys developed over the course of the season. These Spurs are going to be higher due to this too and that’s one thing we must always rejoice. There’s a center floor right here and none of that is the tip of the world.
It’s only a little bit of a bummer.
WWL Put up Recreation Press Convention
– If you wish to write one thing concerning the Wembanyama damage stuff, you need to simply write one thing concerning the damage stuff. This area is designed to be a recap of the sport that occurred. You’re ignoring the aim of this place!
– Nicely, talking of ignoring the aim of this place, that is alleged to be a press convention and I didn’t see a single query in there.
– *sigh* Why did you select to concentrate on the long run damage availability of Wembanyama as a substitute of what truly passed off on the court docket?
– Look, I want that what occurred on the court docket felt extra necessary than the truth that Vic was simply chilling on the sidelines. Really, I do. Nevertheless it wasn’t! Crucial factor that stood out to me about watching this sport is that it felt like a actuality setting in that that is what quite a lot of Spurs video games are most likely going to appear to be, not simply within the close to time period, however sooner or later as effectively. It’s not simply Wemby both, the concept of seeing lengthy stretches of play the place each member of the Spurs is obtainable to play through the common season appears virtually quaint at this level! I’m uninterested in watching video games and discounting what I see based mostly on the truth that the groups weren’t at full energy. Nobody is ever at full energy! Why ought to that be the usual?
– Do you assume the NBA is at risk of rendering the common season meaningless?
– It might probably’t be meaningless. You must win some video games, proper? Prefer it has to matter a little bit bit in any other case…I imply I don’t even have an “in any other case.” The entire thing can’t be playoffs can it?
– That’s the way it works in soccer. The entire season is only a cumulative accruement of factors and each sport issues the identical and whoever has probably the most factors wins the league.
– What occurs if one group simply clearly has probably the most factors and is clearly going to have probably the most factors half means via the season?
– Then it get s a bit boring.
– Seems like sports activities perhaps have extra of a capability to be a bit boring than we give them credit score for.
– It’s virtually like we shouldn’t have a around the clock, 24 hour information cycle protecting them.
– Maintain your horses there associate, subsequent factor you realize you’re going to be saying we shouldn’t have sturdy protection of particular groups on web based mostly fan websites that includes dashing, difficult, and revered writers delivering diatribes and comedic bits within the guise of a column about studying issues.
– By no means, the individuals would riot with out that.
