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San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had a frustrating opening-night performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder in this season’s first chapter of one of the NBA’s emerging rivalries.
An NBA analyst believes Wembanyama’s poor shooting revealed an uncomfortable fact about his game.
NBA analyst Tim MacMahon discussed Wembanyama’s poor performance on “The Hoop Collective’,” and believes it’s time for Wembanyama to make an adjustment.
MacMahon said, “The simple fact is Wemby is an extraordinarily gifted offensive player but still pretty raw, still developing, and there’s some real inconsistency there. At this point, he does not yet have a go-to move.”
Wembanyama finished the 116-104 loss to the Thunder with 12 points, 13 rebounds, and six blocks. However, he shot just 1-for-13 from the field, prompting MacMahon and others to question the state of his offensive game.
The Thunder were motivated to prove that last year’s Western Conference Finals weren’t a sign that the Spurs have taken over, and they set the tone for this year’s matchups.
Wembanyama was outplayed by fellow All-Star Chet Holmgren, amid the constant comparison. Thunder fans were also pleased at the debut of rookie center Aday Mara.
Mara scored seven points and finished the game with a plus/minus rating of +9, but perhaps most importantly to Thunder fans, he did a strong job neutralizing Wembanyama.
While Wembanyama has a diverse offensive skill set, MacMahon would like to see him develop reliable moves that opposing defenses can’t stop even in tough moments.
Wembanyama is unstoppable as a lob threat, but struggles around the paint at times due to his thin frame. Analysts and fans have previously stated their hope that Wembanyama can become a dominant post player.
Wembanyama can also shoot from distance, but is occasionally streaky, with his performance against the Thunder being the latest example. It’s also possible that the Spurs’ roster construction is a factor.
The Spurs have three dynamic guards around Wembanyama in De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. The guards apply consistent pressure to opposing defenses, but that also means there are possessions when Wembanyama doesn’t touch the basketball.
Perhaps being more aggressive offensively is one of his potential adjustments. Regardless, MacMahon believes Wembanyama’s season-opening performance is a warning sign that something has to change.