Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso didn’t hesitate to drop a hot take on San Antonio Spurs star big man Victor Wembanyama’s offensive skills, including his physicality. This opinion, needless to say, might stir the fans of the 7-foot-5 sensation, who has been taking the NBA by storm so to speak.
The Thunder avoided a season sweep against the Spurs after winning their fourth matchup on Wednesday. Part of the reason the reigning champs won was they limited Wemby to just 17 points, with defensive maestro Alex Caruso doing much of the dirty work.
Caruso Compares Wembanyama to Antetokounmpo, Jokic, Sengun
Since entering the league, Caruso has always been regarded as one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA. One of his biggest challenges this season is being switched to Wembanyama, yet the two-time All-Defensive team member has seemingly cracked the code on how to guard Wemby.
Like the high IQ defender he is, Caruso wouldn’t want to be caught with Wembanyama in a 1-on-1 situation. Instead, the 31-year-old veteran would try to “move him around” and hope the French superstar doesn’t get to his spots.
So, after the Thunder’s big win on Wednesday, the two-time champ broke down Wembanyama’s offensive skillset and physical strength—and his assessment might be a bitter pill to swallow for Wemby’s most ardent supporters.
“Offensively, he’s still really raw… His length is an issue but he’s not as strong as a Giannis [Antetokounmpo], like a [Nikola] Jokic, [Alperen] Sengun, KD [Kevin Durant] even… That’s something you have to use to your advantage,” Caruso said in a locker room interview postgame.
Spurs Seems to be Playing the Long Game with Wembanyama
Despite being “raw” in Caruso’s eyes, Wemby is still averaging 24 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game on a 62% true shooting percentage as a 22-year-old franchise centerpiece—all while on minutes restriction due to a knee injury.
The Spurs are indeed ahead of schedule, with Victor Wembanyama blossoming early as an MVP candidate with a superb supporting cast in San Antonio. He is still just in his third year in the NBA, but he is already exceeding expectations.
Lack of strength nothwithstanding, it appears Wemby’s other big flaw as of now is his shot creation, which isn’t exactly that bad considering how he magnifies the defensive pressure towards him as the best player on the floor. The San Antonio Spurs aren’t looking to immediately become a dynasty like they once were, and they certainly wouldn’t want to put too much weight on Wembanyama’s shoulders as a lob threat, a pick-and-pop guy, or an all-around scorer. Instead, they’re going to have to wait for Wembanyama to develop even further like Giannis and KD did in their early years.
The French sensation can shoot, attack the rim, and block shots. Mix everything with his length, athleticism, and potential, and Wembanyama is already set for a path to become an all-time great.
