One man against the league
Fifty-eight. That is how many times Victor Wembanyama has dunked this season, and it is more than 24 of the NBA’s 30 teams have managed as a group.
The number comes from Kirk Goldsberry, the American analyst known for his shot-mapping work, who flagged it after games through November 10, roughly a dozen into the regular season for every club. His one-line verdict, as relayed by RMC Sport: bad news for anyone trying to stop him.
Only four teams are ahead of the Spurs center. New Orleans have 65 dunks, the Lakers 67, Houston 69 and Washington 73. Minnesota sit level with him on 58.
The gap at the other end is even starker. The New York Knicks, who beat San Antonio in last season’s NBA Finals, have 25. Golden State have 26. Wembanyama has more than double either of them.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
A different Wembanyama
The dunk count is a symptom of a bigger shift. Goldsberry noted that this is the first time in Wembanyama’s NBA career that he is attempting more shots inside the paint than outside it. The 2023 No. 1 pick has spent much of his early career drifting to the perimeter. Now he is going downhill.
It shows at the line too. He is averaging 8.5 free-throw attempts a game, the highest of his career.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson put it down to the game slowing down for him, saying Wembanyama is reading situations faster and putting himself in the right spots. Johnson said that after Monday’s win in Phoenix, when the Frenchman scored 40 points with 11 rebounds and nine blocks in just 25 minutes.
The bigger picture
San Antonio are 9-2 and second in the Western Conference, just behind Luka Doncic’s Lakers. Wembanyama is averaging 30.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 4.5 blocks. Those are MVP-level numbers, and the way he is getting them is new.
Discover the rest of our NBA news on MathODDS!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply