Victor Wembanyama will begin his career with the Spurs as a power forward

“…Hopefully he plays power forward, at the fourth position, to start his NBA career,” Charania said. “And the Spurs will look for Zach Collins to be a guy who provides size alongside Victor Wembayama in the frontcourt.”

At first glance, this seems puzzling and raises questions like: Why would the Spurs need to add size next to a player who is one of the tallest in the league? Wembanyama, being as tall as he is, he should play center back, right?

The answer to this comes from a combination of how Wembanyama plays and how the league has developed in its ever-evolving modern era. Wembanyama is a player with a very high advantage not only because of his size, but also because of his agility, skills and basketball IQ. What makes him a once-in-a-generation prospect is how he puts all of this together. This means that as it is played today, the power forward position, not the center position, gives you the best dynamic opportunity to make the most of all of these skills.

Some of the best players in the game are centers, like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, MVP and Finals MVP last year. They are the fulcrum of the game around which the rest of the team works, although in different ways. Although Wembanyama has a few inches on both of them, he actually has more mobility and grip. This is where his game evolves and differentiates himself from these modern greats, he is a winger at the height of a center.

In Summer League matchups, Wembanyama showed flashes of his ability to get the ball in a wide range of play types. His unique body style and athleticism allow him to pick up the ball himself on fast breaks, play any part of dribbling and handoff actions, and throw screens and step-backs. Almost none of that can be triggered if Wembanyama plays center, and historically that hasn’t been the case when he’s been forced to play that position.

In a 2019 exhibition event in Spain, Wembanyama had a poor game that didn’t do justice to his potential as a 15-year-old.

“I literally had no responsibility. I never had the ball, not even in practice. Coach put me in the middle,” Wembanyama told ESPN. “I was really frustrated even coming to the game. I knew it wasn’t going to go well. So it didn’t go well.”

He needs to be able to spend some time on the wings but still work down low when the opportunity arises. Wembanyama can work from the outside in or the inside out, a rare combination even in the most talented basketball league in the world.

However, this does not mean that Wembanyama has not worked on the low post game at all. In fact, it’s something his previous coach, Vincent Collet, set out to work with him on.

“There’s often a problem with very talented players; sometimes they can rely only on their skills and their greater ability to make moves, and that’s sometimes their problem,” Collet told ESPN. “Okay, so the opponents start putting more pressure on him to use his body. Sometimes he finds it difficult to even catch the ball. When it happens, he shouldn’t go outside. He has to fight to find a way to get the ball to where it is.” . He is the most efficient.”

Therefore, the power forward position is perfect for him. As the NBA continues to expand and utilize all the space available on the court, putting Wembanyama at the four will give him room to breathe, the space he needs to develop his offense and allow him to get the ball more often and wherever he wants. he.

Speaking of physicality and opponents pushing him around and using his body, that’s exactly where Collins comes into play. What Collins provides is toughness, size and strength that can alleviate some of the wear and tear of Wembanyama. The No. 1 pick always has a target on his back, but playing alongside another big man gives him backup when defenses try to deny him time and time again. That kind of punishment takes its toll and Collins has never been one to back down from a challenge.

Most importantly, defensively, Collins can take on the immediate threat in the low post, giving Wembanyama room to roam and protect the rim. Wembanyama’s defense will be his most immediate asset to the Spurs team this year.

“With Wemby I really want to get to the defensive side. We will be much better there than last year.” Collins said in an ESPN interview at Summer League.

Wembanyama can take on a variety of tasks, but he will be a better rim protector if he can deflect and provide help using his long reach. The Boston Celtics put Robert Williams in this role and it was a major component of his run to the 2022 NBA Finals. Williams, while athletic, is nowhere near Wembanyama’s size and reach. Imagine how effective the Spurs defense can be with a traditional big like Collins, Jeremy Sochan on the wing and Wembanyama roaming around as a free safety.

Regardless of where Spurs’ lineup ends up, this news means they are heavily invested in what is best for Wembanyama. Coach Gregg Popovich and his staff from the beginning have said they are looking out for his best interests, which will inherently serve the Spurs’ best interests. Additionally, the Spurs have plenty of experience playing at the power forward spot since Tim Duncan, the greatest power forward of all time. The difference is that Duncan solidified the fundamentals of the position and now Wembanyama will continue to develop them.