Wemby Watch: Dominating the Month of January
Through the first few months of the season, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama had to learn how to adjust to the NBA style of play, adapt to the pace of the game and figure out how to get the most out of his teammates. As good as the French big was through the end of December, Chet Holmgren proved to the the best rookie in the NBA up to that point.
However, since the turn of the calendar year, Wembanyama has come alive. He's been the clear best first-year player over the past month and has truly emerged as one of the better players in the entire NBA, irrespective of age. He has shown tangible development in a short period of time and is only scratching the surface of his ultimate potential.
What has the generational talent done since our last Wemby Watch update, and what are his statistics to this point?
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 Stats: 20.6 PPG | 10.1 RPG | 3.2 BPG | 1.1 SPG | 3.1 APG | XX% FG | 30.1% 3PT
Spurs Record: 10-38
In his past five games, Wembanyama has been remarkable. He kicked off this stint with a 24-point double-double performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder, really showcasing his ability to stand out against one of the best teams in the league. From there, he put together three more double-doubles with at least 20 points before that streak ended on Wednesday night.
Over the past month specifically, Wembanyama has averaged 24 points per game while shooting better than 50% from the floor. As such, he is once again the frontrunner for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award and almost certainly will win the NBA Rookie of the Month for the Western Conference in January. Holmgren still has time to take the title as best rookie in the NBA this season, but Wembanyama has very much taken that claim once again over the past month.,
When looking at Wembanayama's success over the past month relative to his start to the season, what he's really been able to improve on is the ability to attack different coverages and score even when he is the focal point of the scouting report. It doesn't matter who the Spurs are playing, he rarely ever has a game where he isn't a highly productive player and the leader of this team. Not only has he become more consistent, but also more efficient on the offensive end which has been impressive. Wembanyama is already an alpha and a number one option at 20 years old.
In the upcoming week, Wembanyama and the Spurs will take on the New Orleans Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
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