Victor Wembanyama's 42% FG start on offense prompts harsh criticism from NBA scout: "Not impactful at all"
Following a dominant rookie campaign, many expected Victor Wembanyama to take a step forward in his second season. While he's still one of the league's most elite defenders, a scout recently sounded off on his impact on the other end of the floor.
While it's still early in the year, Wembanyama's offensive numbers have dropped off from last season. He is currently averaging 17.7 points per game, almost four points lower from a year ago. Wembanyama's shooting percentage from the field (41.3%) and beyond the arc (22.6%) have also taken a dip.
In his latest column breaking down all things across the league, ESPN's Tim Bontemps spoke to a scout about Victor Wembanyama's offensive game. Here's how the scout felt about his impact on that end, and why it is significantly different from that of his defense.
"He's absolutely awesome on defense, and not impactful at all on offense. He just looks like he's playing without a whole lot of direction."
Despite being off to a slow offensive start, the San Antonio Spurs big man has still had some strong outings to start the season. Earlier this week, he posted 24 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks in a loss to the LA Clippers.
Wembanyama speaks on three-point shooting struggles
In terms of his offensive game, one area that Wembanyama has struggled the most is beyond the arc. He was a below league-average shooter from deep last year, and his percentage has dipped lower in his sophomore campaign.
Despite only knocking down 22.6% of his threes, Wembanyama has upped his volume this season to nearly seven a game after attempting 5.5 as a rookie. When asked about his gameplan from deep, the former No. 1 pick cited it's all part of his long-term developmental plan with the Spurs.
"There is no frustration because I know the staff and I are developing in the right way," Wembanyama said. "And so, I'm taking the shots I want to include in my development. What matters today is the intention for a longer-term goal."
Standing at 7-4, everyone is aware of how impactful Wembanyama can be around the rim. However, developing a competent three-point shot is the key to him becoming one of the NBA's most feared players.
In the modern era, big men have stretched their game out farther than ever before. Wembanyama is a product of this, as he too is capable of spacing the floor to some degree.
In terms of his long-term development, becoming even a league-average shooter could do wonders for Wembanyama and the Spurs. For starters, it broadens the kind of players San Antonio can put around him moving forward. Most importantly, defenses guarding him on the perimeter opens the floor for him to highlight the more dominant areas of his game.