Shams Charania recently reported that Spurs’ first overall pick, Victor Wembanyama, will most likely start his NBA career at the power forward position. This has been expected considering head coach, Gregg Popovich, has basically named Zach Collins the starting center for next year already. If anyone knows what they are doing in terms of developing promising big men, it is none other than Popovich himself. As a result, this will take some pressure off the lanky Victor Wembanyama and allow him to showcase his shooting a bit more in San Antonio’s offense.
Victor Wembanyama to Start NBA Career at Power Forward
San Antonio’s Projected Starting Lineup
The Spurs are a team in rebuild and that is no secret. After all, they did win the NBA Draft Lottery for a reason. Next year, the Spurs will still be in for growing pains. Expect a frontcourt featuring Zach Collins at the center spot and Victor Wembanyama at power forward as alluded to already. Keldon Johnson will still occupy the starting wing position.
As for their backcourt, expect Devin Vassell and Tre Jones to start at the shooting guard and point guard positions. With Wembanyama at the power forward spot, it will allow him to roam in space more often and open the paint for the San Antonio Spurs offense. As a result, Wembanyama’s longevity could increase, and it will allow the French big man to bulk up to eventually shift over to the center position. However, the question remains, will he ever be strong enough to play bully ball with the best centers in the NBA?
Can Victor Wembanyama Eventually Bulk up to Bang With NBA Centers?
One major concern for Victor Wembanyama is his very skinny frame. Do not be mistaken, we have seen players with a similar makeup thrive, like Phoenix’s Kevin Durant. However, most of those players were wings. Elite centers such as Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, and Nikola Vucevic would be extremely tough challenges for the rookie out of France. That is not to say he would not be able to match up with them eventually, but for this season, Wembanyama will serve as a stretch-four for the San Antonio Spurs. All in all, Spurs fans should be excited for what next season holds for their rookie big man, Victor Wembanyama.
