Victor Wembanyama has already changed the way teams think about defense, but a new media survey shows the San Antonio Spurs may have a bigger problem than they expected.
EssentiallySports asked trusted league media members one simple question: who is the best Wemby Stopper in the NBA? The answer may have real consequences for San Antonio’s playoff path, especially if a Knicks matchup ever becomes a Finals reality.
EssentiallySports Survey Sparks Concern
GettySan Antonio Spurs Receive Alarming Victor Wembanyama Update After New NBA Survey
EssentiallySports conducted a league-wide media survey where OG Anunoby was ranked as the top player, receiving 60 votes points, and he was placed before players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Scottie Barnes, and Rudy Gobert.
The article also mentioned a few honorable mentions, among others, Draymond Green, Evan Mobley, Joel Embiid, Chet Holmgren, Aaron Gordon, Collin Murray-Boyles, Ausar Thompson, and Mitchell Robinson.
The results:
This is significant because it depicts Wembanyama not as a player who dominates every game, but rather as one who can be effectively defended, even by top defenders.
From a Spurs standpoint, that is the problem. If media voters are already convinced that OG Anunoby is the best defender in the league against Wembanyama, this issue will haunt them in the potential finals match.
San Antonio can still count on Wemby’s physical advantages, such as size, passing, and defending at the basket, but according to the poll, the whole league is starting to develop defensive concepts with him as the focal point.
Knicks Finals Angle
GettyOG Anunoby Just Got Called the NBA’s Most Dangerous Weapon Against Wembanyama
The Knicks angle adds a new twist to the story. If the Spurs and Knicks end up facing off in the Finals, the narratives will be plenty.
One of the main reasons is that Anunoby is the perfect type of wing defender who can challenge Wembanyama and make him put in a lot of effort for his scoring. Besides, if the match turns to a confrontation of the big men, and Karl-Anthony Towns or Mitchell Robinson gets involved in the paint, it would be a very interesting situation.
What I think, it’s a hint of potential issues. Every superstar sooner or later gets faced by a defender, or a system, that is strong enough to make him change his game.
Surprisingly, Wembanyama is the one who is experiencing this phenomenon before many others. Luckily for the Spurs, he is still very young, has a lot of room for growth, and has the inherent talent to make even a “Wemby Stopper” look mediocre when the series extends to several games.
Spurs Receive Alarming Victor Wembanyama News After New NBA Survey