As Tuesday evening approaches, disappointment looms for NBA fanatics anticipating Victor Wembanyama’s participation for San Antonio towards Milwaukee attributable to ankle soreness. The awaited showdown between Wemby and Giannis Antetokounmpo should wait. But, let’s take this second to delve into the movie room.
A exceptional breakdown on this video captures final Wednesday’s thrilling duel between the rookie and seasoned all-star Anthony Davis. Witnessing them sq. off on 68 possessions gives ample materials for evaluation. Whereas Davis emerged victorious on the offensive entrance, scoring 24 factors with a 69% true taking pictures, these statistics solely scratched the floor.
A discerning eye reveals a riveting chess match between the 2 gamers. Davis leveraged his seasoned persistence and refined offensive abilities to lure the rookie into defensive errors. Notably, Wemby discovered himself outmaneuvered twice, getting caught together with his hand within the cookie jar.
On Davis’s thunderous dunk over the rookie—a sequence orchestrated by means of a jab step, an explosive baseline drive, and a slight shoulder drop that created separation for the slam. This mesmerizing mixture of strikes stored Wemby off-balance, as demonstrated within the Lakers’ subsequent possession with AD using a hesitation dribble to carve out area for a midrange shot.
Though the primary half noticed Davis education the rookie, Wembanyama exhibited a resurgence within the latter a part of the sport. His defensive prowess improved, coinciding with the Spurs’ shift to zone defenses that alleviated some strain on Wemby. Furthermore, his offensive sport gained momentum because the match progressed, culminating in a fourth-quarter explosion of 14 factors. The epitome of his various talent set was showcased in a surprising step-back three-pointer within the ultimate two minutes.
Each bigs concluded the sport with 30-plus factors, leaving a memorable influence on a number of aspects of the sport. Whereas Davis might have outshone Victor of their preliminary assembly, it’s crucial to acknowledge that the rookie is just 19 years outdated. It serves as a stark reminder that to beat Wemby individually, an opponent should possess a talent set to the calibre of Anthony Davis. The longer term may be very brilliant for Wembanyama.
I don’t normally dive into fan fiction, however this concept appears compelling. Image Wemby holding down the paint, compensating for Trae’s defensive gaps.
These misplays are why I daydream concerning the addition of a top-notch passing level guard, somebody like Trae Younger.
Wembanyama FGA:
• Restricted Space: 85/117 (72.6%)
• Paint (Non-RA): 18/54 (33.3%)
• Midrange: 29/91 (31.9%)
• Nook 3: 1/6 (16.7%)
• Non-Nook 3s: 31/108 (28.7%)
— NBA College (@NBA_University) December 17, 2023
Lastly, I’m a giant fan of the brand new Barcode advert, showcasing the rookie sensation. It’s fairly cool to see these throwback clips from his teenage years.