Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Says Quiet Part Out Loud About Victor Wembanyama

The San Antonio Spurs have started their 2025 preseason campaign with a few statements, including a recent win over the Indiana Pacers to move to 4-0. Of course, most notably, fans have gotten a fair glimpse of third-year superstar Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama, who is now listed at 7-foot-4 heading into the new season, has been on a tear in the preseason. In the Spurs' commanding 124-108 preseason win over the Pacers on Monday night, Wembanyama was incredible, dropping 27 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and three steals on 9-13 shooting from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc in just 25 minutes of action.

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA

HOW DO YOU STOP THIS?! 🤯

pic.twitter.com/L8GriQVWdg
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 14, 2025

Even though Wembanyama spent the majority of his 2025 offseason recovering from deep vein thrombosis, he has somehow gotten bigger, stronger, and better heading into his 2025-26 campaign.

Rick Carlisle tells it how it is

Before Monday night's game, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was asked how a coach is supposed to prepare and scout for a player like Wembanyama.

"You watch, in disbelief," Carlisle bluntly responded.

Rick Carlisle, asked how a coach goes about scouting a player like Victor Wembanyama:

"You watch, in disbelief."
— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) October 13, 2025

Carlisle has been an NBA head coach since the 2001-02 season, even winning an NBA Championship with Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. For a head coach who has seen some incredible players in the league, facing legends like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and many more in their prime, this is some very high praise.

Of course, from a fan's perspective, it would seem impossible to gameplan for Wembanyama, who is simply a basketball unicorn, but this is one of the most experienced NBA head coaches admitting it.

Wembanyama's impact

Before his sophomore campaign was cut short due to the deep vein thrombosis diagnosis, Wembanyama was well on his way to becoming the youngest NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner in league history.

Oct 13, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward/guard Keldon Johnson (3) and forward/center Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrate a made basket in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Last season, Wembanyama averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game with impressive 47.6/35.2/83.6 shooting splits. If he continues to improve, as it seems he is doing through a few preseason games, he will undoubtedly be in the NBA MVP conversation by the end of the year.

Game-planning for Wembanyama has to be an impossible task for opposing coaches, and it will continue to get harder as he improves and sharpens his all-around game.

Rick Carlisle tells it how it is

Wembanyama's impact

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