this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2023
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I'm not just seeing it here on Reddit. I'm hearing it from other NBA boards, people I play ball with, fantasy basketball people, etc, etc.

I have no idea what the expectation was for this guy in his rookie season, but I think anyone who had half a semblance of knowledge knew what we were getting when he came in. Wemby was a defensive prospect first and foremost who has the chance to grow into one of the most impactful defenders ever due to his size and mobility, who could also put up 20+ points in the near future.

He wasn't great overseas offensively because he was still raw. He's still only 19 years old, in his first season in the NBA on a team that for all intents and purposes is still on a quest for more #1 picks. Wemby was a project from the very first day, albeit a very high ceiling project. Everything we talked about, both offensively and defensively was all about how he's going to look in year 5/6/7/8 of his career.

The dude is 7'4 and learning how to use his size while still picking up a lot of basketball fundamentals. I see a lot of posts saying how the Spurs should do this, or do that, or get this player, or bench that player. So much news for a team that is still far, far, FAR away from any hope of a ring. Why do we care so much that Sochan is getting burn at the PG spot? There seems to be so much focus on a team we knew was going to suck and a prospect that we knew was going to take years to learn the NBA and learn what he can do.

The fact that this kid has had some of the performances that he's had, and that he's even approaching 19-20 points a game regardless of efficiency at this point should be a win. I was expecting a lot less considering how much he had to learn, and how bad some of his performances overseas were. Wemby is arguably ahead of schedule at this point, and it should only get better with more reps, a better team, and more size.

Let him take all the 3s, mid range fade aways, etc that he wants. Let him make every mistake he can make this year to learn for the next year. This is a throwaway year for the Spurs that should be used just to evaluate and develop for the future. Some of you look incredibly silly bagging on a rookie on a below average team, expecting him to be the next Wilt from day 1. He's an incredible PROSPECT, key word there being prospect. Lets see where other 19-20 year old bigs were (Jokic, Giannis, Embiid) before we start complaining about Wemby not being LeBron, or blaming the Spurs for not putting together the perfect team around him when he's not even ready to lead a team in the first place. Stop being weird.

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[–] ksn0vaN7@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

It's because the Spurs are 3-14. People were expecting him to be top 4 in the west and make the playoffs, taking the Nuggets to 7 games in the western conference finals all in his rookie year.

People can be stupid like that.

[–] Impossible-Bee-7774@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

No one is down on him, he just doesn't look like the rookie of the year at this point. As I think I said in my last post, it isn't even Christmas yet. If Chet cools down on his 3s he'll be a very different player. Still a valuable one, don't get me wrong, but not what people are seeing right now. With Wemby we've never seen a player his height last in the league. I don't think either will be in the league very long. Around Wilt Chamberlain/Shaq height seems to be the max for the kind of star people are talking about, and they were wide bodies as well. But he may see a 12 year career with six to 8 where his team contends in his conference and from there who knows.

[–] EchoBay@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Because they hyped him up to be better than LeBron coming into the league. Not LeBron first year, LeBron PERIOD. All this talk about him being a GOAT before he even played a second of NBA basketball.

This is not to say he can't ever become a great, as I am confident he will health barring. It's just that people had these ideas that he would come into the league as an MVP candidate off the jump. Like that's any sort of actual possibility.

Now reality is starting to hit them, and they realize he's just a rookie like every rookie this year.

Only one guy the past 20 years has lived up to this GOAT potential off the jump status, and he doesn't even play Basketball. He plays Baseball and he plays/ played for the Angels.

[–] i_will_mull_it_over@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Probably need to spend less time following the NBA. Everything is so reactionary.

[–] L_sigh_kangeroo@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

People care so much about efficiency til they’re talking about Kobe or AI

[–] ChocolateTremell@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Cuz this sub is full of haters who wish they could ball

Well.. even though he's a more highly touted draft pick than LeBron. He needed 2 more points to get over 23.5 for my $50 bet last night... He's now a scrub as far as my broke self is concerned

[–] Futuristic1NE@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

NBA hyped up and is overexposing Wemby, so he will be held to some standards when a bad product (Spurs) is being displayed.

We all understand he’s young and will develop into his own one day, but to have him on national games and tout him as the next generational talent, not doing him any good there.

[–] Johannes_silentio@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

If people keep criticizing him Pop will grab a mic and start yelling at everybody

[–] farttrainer@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I was at the Nuggets/Spurs game last night. It was cool to Wemby live. He started defending Joker in the second half which is what I was there to see. I don’t think Wemby should try to gain much weight…sure, a few pounds will help. But if he can stay slim it will only benefit his long-term health and allow him to stay nimble and athletic. Even if he gets backed down near the rim, his length is a massive problem. He had a couple of nice blocks and I think a couple of steals. Even though I’m a Nuggets fan, I hope Wemby stays healthy and develops because man, that will be fun to watch for the next decade plus.

[–] Separate-Affect9459@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago
  • people realizing that he isn't Jokic or Giannis, he needs someone to get him the ball in his spots CURRENTLY
  • the spurs having zero players who can get any separation off the dribble or run an offense makes his life way harder
  • he doesn't know how to score in the NBA, his shot selection is currently probably bottom 5 in the league
  • cannot buy a 3 right now
  • his box score stats on defense are crazy but he also gambles a ton, doesn't have a natural position and gets caught out of position a lot
  • the spurs defense is horrendous and their roster doesn't make sense

Even with that he's still obviously a +EV player just with his size and speed. I don't think the Spurs have played even a minute of winning basketball this year with VW on the bench

[–] rudymaxa@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

His team losing 11 straight, his "rival" balling out, unrealistic hype all playing a part

[–] Aworn@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Losing 12 games in a row will do that

[–] diverdown125@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I’m more down on Pop

[–] Hunter-Western@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

He’s different than a Kobe, LeBron, KD breaking into the league as his body still has to mature, he’s only 19, by the age of 22 with 30 pounds of muscle on him when he’s fully developed he’s going to be scary.

[–] SeaDistance7230@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

I think Wemby doing just fine for a rookie I really think he would be a lot better if the team start Tre Jones he seems to be the onlt one looking to set Wemby up on offense

[–] savetheplastic@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Because he looked like he was going to be amazing based on pre and early season and also fellow NBA rookie Chet Holmgren has been way better so far

[–] ssebonac@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

He's kind of a dick and is French. The Losing doesnt help.

[–] XFactor_20@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Don't label every #1 pick as a Lebron level prospect to start.

[–] starbuckslorenzo@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Honestly, there's never been a shittier time to be a touted athlete in his rookie year than this era of NBA. Wemby could be dropping consistent triple-doubles and one off-game will just INCENSE the public against their previous take. Wemby is experiencing this doubly because of how dominant Joker's first decade in the league has been (MVPs within five years and then a first ring for Denver to follow up shortly after) then further compounded by Giannis' first ring/Finals MVP/All-Star MVP all happening in the same year (directly after two MVP years) being hyper-focused on in spite of how long he's been at Milwaukee.

That Pop & Spurs are choosing the push forward and block out the noise at first seems obvious, but it is a smart decision when you take into account how others (i.e. Embiid's neutrality during the Harden/Sixers Saga) have been forced to take the sheer brunt of public opinion

[–] shortyman920@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Because media and people love to overhype and then tear down. Staying objective is not an easy sell and people want the salt and pepper

[–] rice_bledsoe@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

If there's a jerk on a win streak, there will be an equal and opposite jerk on a losing streak. Except the win streak was two games and the losing streak was 12 games.

[–] Syeem23@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

It's not Wemby, it the team around him. They aren't playing good at all. If he gets a little bit of help, he'll be fine.

I think Chet playing so well dampened his hype

[–] Mike_Zoom@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago
[–] rekop987@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

He's averaging 19/10/3/1/3 as a raw 19-year-old. Yeah the efficiency is not good but the potential is limitless. It's rare for rookies (with big roles) to be efficient, Chet is an extreme outlier and Wemby is probably suffering from comparisons with him. IMO Wemby has been just as good as the hype, better even.

[–] dash_44@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

Obviously it’s because he’s French now.

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