As the 2024-25 NBA season gets underway, eyes are keenly trained on Victor Wembanyama, the young phenom playing for the San Antonio Spurs. While he has already showcased his potential, his early performance this season suggests he's facing a challenge all sharpshooters know too well: finding rhythm from beyond the arc.
Finding His Rhythm
In the initial three games, Wembanyama's shooting has been a tale of missed opportunities. He has completed just six of his 24 jump shots. His three-point shooting has especially been underwhelming, with 14 misses out of 18 attempts. These numbers contrast with his post-All-Star break performance from last season, where he converted 31% of his jump shots and 33% of his three-point attempts, providing a glimpse into his potential as a consistent scorer.
After a limited preseason—participating in only two of the five Spurs games—Wembanyama has had less time to integrate fully into the team's system and hit his stride. Still, the player remains unfazed. "The conditioning is not an excuse. For the missed shots... it's just taking shots in rhythm. That's the most important for me. I think I'm comfortable in every area of the floor to shoot, but at the same time, if I'm not in rhythm, any area of the floor I'll miss," he remarked, not shying away from the challenge.
International Experience
On the international stage, Wembanyama led the French national team to a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, although his three-point shot was again under scrutiny, hitting just 28% during the games. This experience on a global platform might have influenced him to adjust his approach in the NBA, where rhythm remains a key priority.
Three-Point Revolution
This season, three-point shooting is at the forefront of NBA strategies with nine teams regularly attempting more than 40 shots from beyond the arc per game. Last season, the Boston Celtics set the bar high with an average of 42.5 three-point attempts per game, illustrating the league's growing emphasis on long-range shooting.
Other players have adapted remarkably well to this shift. Anthony Edwards, in particular, has increased his attempts from 6.7 to over 13 per game, achieving an impressive 41.5% conversion rate so far this season. Karl-Anthony Towns, another potential blueprint for Wembanyama, boasts a career 40% success rate from the three-point line. This season, Towns has hit two-thirds of his attempts, finding sweet satisfaction in efficiency even as his total shot attempts have dipped from 15.3 to 9.3 per game.
Looking for Balance
The adaptation of elite players like Edwards and Towns underscores the league's evolution and the challenges new entrants face. Wembanyama's role on the Spurs also demands a balancing act—not just personal improvement but synchronization with his teammates. His teammate, Jalen Brunson, summed up the broader dynamic: "It's on me as a teammate to make sure we're all on the same page and that everyone's eating. I've got to be better when it comes to that. I've got to adjust, and I've got to see [Towns]."
Wembanyama's current statistics might not reflect the heralded promise he brings to the Spurs and NBA. Yet, for a player who has shown glimpses of brilliance and determination, the current phase could be merely a stepping stone in his development. As the season progresses, his journey will be one to watch—a quest for rhythm in a league increasingly defined by its rhythm from the perimeter.