How Victor Wembanyama is starting to unlock the game within the game

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama's seven-foot-five stature seemed to overshadow everyone else at Frost Bank Center on Friday night, and his constant dejection and head-down manner during a four-point first half was a painful experience.

Wembanyama was frustrated. Physically, the Frenchman allowed Houston's aggressive defense to overwhelm him on several occasions, even lying on the floor unable to face multiple Rockets defenders. But mentally, Wembanyama's entire attitude was influenced by Ime Udoka's aggressive strategy, which saw the third-year center shy away from the restricted area and settle for jumpers.

A Spurs team, already on the verge of two consecutive defeats, seemed destined for a third straight defeat. San Antonio has embraced Wembanyama's identity, and in games where his mistakes outweigh his excellence—a combined total of 10 fouls and 11 turnovers in losses to the Suns and Lakers—the team negatively reflects that image.

After another disappointing performance late in the second quarter, teammate Keldon Johnson had seen enough and slapped Wembanyama hard. A transformation of sorts.

By the third quarter, Wembanyama's demeanor had immediately changed. Gone were the days of second-guessing and procrastinating in the face of Houston's pressure. He exploited the Rockets' tactics against them, scoring an impressive 18 points in the second half, hitting 6 of 10 shots from the field, leading the Spurs to a 121-110 victory in Group C of the NBA Cup.

“I don’t think it’s some epiphany or anything,” head coach Mitch Johnson said of Wemby’s closing efforts. “I think he’s slowed down and allowed the reads to unfold. When he gets the ball and we space properly, teams have to decide to guard one-on-one or bring multiple bodies. And when he does that, because he’s so cerebral, he’s able to make reads and we get really competent quality possessions — and I thought he did a really good job with that.”

The explosive way Wembanyama started the season, averaging 33.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 6 blocks against teams like Dallas, Brooklyn, and New Orleans, raised outside expectations for the Spurs. His mediocre performances against Phoenix and Los Angeles undermined some of the lofty goals set by those same players.

The truth lies somewhere in between. Yes, Wembanyama is rapidly establishing himself among the league's best, and that's why San Antonio should be considered a dangerous team in the Western Conference. But they're not quite ready yet. Wembanyama himself is still an unfinished product. This is a team still trying to integrate De'Aaron Fox, who is set to make his regular season debut on Saturday after recovering from a hamstring injury, and still awaiting the return of dynamic guard Dylan Harper, who is recovering from a calf injury.

That's why nights like these are so important. The NBA is a copycat league, and the Rockets, seeing recent success defending Wembanyama, adopted the same approach, squaring off and battling him for 48 minutes. As Wembanyama continues to develop physically and become a more solid base player, opposing defenses will test his limits. Houston tried everything but the kitchen sink—making him move forward, denying entry passes, dodging him on catches, and swarming potential drives.

But the intellectual aspect of Wembanyama's game, how he adapts to changes, will determine his and San Antonio's potential. Not every match will be against the Nets or Pelicans where he can showcase his battering ram skills. Some matches, against top defenses, require surgeon-like precision and skill. Choosing your spots wisely, knowing when to probe, and when to attack. Wembanyama, who played the last 4:48 minutes with five fouls, found a good balance in staying aggressive while staying within legal limits.

“Obviously, Vic has faced a variety of coverages this season,” Spurs forward Harrison Barnes said. “Double teams, box-and-one and all types of stuff. I think he’s done a good job of just being patient. Understanding it’s a learning process but still being aggressive and helping us win these games.”

According to Cleaning the Glass, Wembanyama's assist percentage has steadily declined since entering the league; from 21.4% in the early going to 16.4% as of November 7th. This is still a healthy stat—75th among big men—but it reflects his growing importance as a great option in the halfcourt.

Defenses will never relax their approach to Wembanyama—as he develops, his current challenges will only increase. But as he demonstrated in the second half against Houston, his playmaking is still underestimated, not only for plays he's directly involved in, but also for reads he makes a couple of moves ahead. According to Second Spectrum, Wembanyama, who dished out four assists on Friday, ranks second on the team in passes (282), third in secondary assists (six), and second in potential assists (52). The more teams bet on Wembanyama, the more he'll be able to engage the players around him at a reasonable pace.

“Their lineups changed,” Wembanyama said. “And it felt like they wanted to score a little more, so they put offensive players in. So I think their individual defense maybe diminished because of that. It was a little more open.”

The Spurs played brilliantly against a Rockets team that had won five in a row, outplaying them on the offensive glass and outplaying them in the halfcourt. The next step for Wembanyama is finding a balance between brain and brawn.