Victor Wembanyama
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Victor Wembanyama is shooting less three-pointers this season
Two of the NBA’s biggest international stars faced off on Thursday, when Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs hosted Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at Frost Bank Center.
Wembanyama finished with a team-high 22 points in just 21 minutes, finishing a near-flawless 5-for-6 from deep. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points, five rebounds and two steals.
Following the 119-101 Spurs win, Antetokounmpo highlighted one key area in which he’s noticed improvement from Wembanyama.
“He’s a way better player,” Antetokounmpo told reporters, drawing comparisons from his previous three matchups with the former No. 1 pick.
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“As long as he stays healthy, he’s the future of this league. The sky’s the limit…He’s gonna be a final nightmare. And I hope I’m out of the league, retired.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo after facing off with Wemby 🗣️
(via @HectorLedesmaTV)
The Bucks star added that Wembanyama has been more assertive and is settling for fewer long-distance jumpers.
“Last year he was shooting like nine or ten threes a game. This year, he shoots four or five,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “So, what that means is he is getting to his spot more. He’s trying to facilitate more for his teammates. He’s getting the ball closer to the basket… he’s 7-foot-5 and basically unguardable.”
A generational talent in his own right, the two-time MVP and NBA Champion Antetokounmpo crowned Wembanyama as the NBA’s future poster child.
“As long as he stays healthy, he’s the future of this league. The sky’s the limit. He’s gonna be a final nightmare. And I hope I’m out of the league, retired.”
Giannis Crowns Wemby a Next-Gen Superstar
Giannis and Wemby
GettyGiannis believes Wemby is star in the making
Wembanyama, 22, possesses a blend of size and skill scarcely seen in the NBA.
All-Star centers DaMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid — big men with supreme dribbling and shooting ability — helped pave the way for the Spurs star.
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BALD WEMBY FADEAWAY THREE 😭🔥
5 THREES AND COUNTING VS. BUCKS 👽
Now, playing in an era where big men have more freedom on offense, Wembanyama is taking full advantage in San Antonio.
The two-time block champion recorded his 71st career double-double in the win over the Antetokounmpo-led Bucks.
So far this season, the former Rookie of the Year is averaging 23.9 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.
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Wemby’s rejection leads to a Wemby triple! 🎯👽
Antetokounmpo believes a dip in three-point attempts has benefitted the All-Star center.
Last season, Wembanyama averaged 8.8 three-point attempts per game. This season, he is shooting just 4.2 threes per game, while converting 37 percent of his attempts.
While his five three-pointers made on Thursday would suggest he isn’t shy from pulling the trigger, Wembanyama has done a better job of getting to and finishing around the rim.
One of the early knocks on Wembanyama was his reluctance to post-up and score down low.
Per NBA.com, Wembanyama ranks in the 30.2th percentile for post-ups, as he shoots 43.5% when posting up. Additionally, his post-up frequency is only at 12% a game despite his frame (Giannis Antetokounmpo’s, by contrast, is 21.1), and his PPP on post-ups is 0.89.
Kristaps Porziņģis suffered a similar issue early in his NBA career. Despite his towering height and shooting ability (like Wembanyama), teams challenged him to post up on smaller players — and he scarcely exploited such matchups.
The former lottery pick learned to use his frame advantageously later in his career and was a big part of the Boston Celtics‘ 2024 championship run.
Should Wembanyama grow his game similarly, he could make good on Antetokounmpo’s bold assertion.