I'm wondering how bad his growth pains were. That's incredible.
David Robinson entered college at like 6'3" and came out a seven footer. That's the closest comp I've got.
Wembanyamarama
- Thread starter Euclis20
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David Robinson entered college at like 6'3" and came out a seven footer. That's the closest comp I've got.
I entered high school at 5’0 and came out at 5’11. If only I started at 6’0…
Echoing others, I hope you don’t go away.
This is the NBA forum, just as BBTL is the NFL forum and RMPS is the NHL forum. I’d argue we should do the same thing for baseball, folding the MLB and minor-league fora into the Main Board — subfora generally result in less eyes on the content that’s posted there.
I think SOSH’s non-Boston content is, on average, better then the home team content, but the branding (naming the fora for the home team rather than the sport/league) is probably a more fair reflection of the actual content — this is closer to a Celtics forum than it is to an NBA forum. I’d love to see that change.
This is amazing, this is the NBA!!!
View: https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1715795424055898460?s=46&t=0GHHaPVUX26Io0V2HIcS0g
View: https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1715795424055898460?s=46&t=0GHHaPVUX26Io0V2HIcS0g
I posted that in post 16 and never could get it to embed for some reason... how?
Oh, I thought that was just now, sorry.
You can get it to embed by cutting and pasting the URL, then manually editing in 'twitter' instead of 'x' in the URL. Every time I have to do this it makes me hate Musk just a bit more.
Edit: Also I think you need to cut off the end characters, so it just goes right to the tweet.
Second edit: But I didn't do that this time, so no idea why mine worked and yours didn't, sorry.
My best friend in HS went from 5'4 his senior year to 6'2 over the next 18 months. He told me that he never really felt anything. I suppose everyone is different so who knows.
I was similar.. started 5”-1”, 95 lbs.. exited 6’-1-1/2”, 135.. I was the shortest of my closest group of friends with the most athletic ability.. my best friend is 6”-3” or so.. if I’d only started high school a year later and had his height.. I think I’d have had a legit shot at playing in college.. as it was I didn’t even make it in high school because I was too short and coordination is tough to put together when you’re growing 4” a year.
Can’t imagine going through Wemby’s development.
Really enjoyed the discussion and wanted to link this Sports Illustrated article about Robinson from 1985: As He Grows, So Goes the Navy
The Admiral’s combination of speed, agility (note his gymnastics accomplishment in the article), and size would be a problem for offenses and defenses in any NBA era.
This article is hilarious, and worth putting over here too. Fans paying as much as $600 to get into the World Series game saw it run up to 10-0 to the visitors by the 3rd inning, looked down the street, and a bunch went and purchased face-value tickets to watch the Wemby Show. That game also ended tragically for the home team, but at least they got a bit more excitement along the way.
Also people in the game thread were saying Wemby is going to look a lot better with 100 more pounds of muscle over the next 5-6 years. I dunno about that. I think the only thing that preserves his knees, feet and joints long-term is to not make them have to bear too much weight. He's not built like Shaq, doesn't have that frame. Also, he can take guys off the dribble in a way I've never seen a 7-footer do before*, not even KG could face up an NBA wing at the perimeter and get inside on him. So yes, he needs to add some lower-body strength - strength itself is protection against many kinds of injuries most likely to hurt him. But I wouldn't want him to do it so much that it comes at the cost of agility or durability.
* ok, early-career Anthony Davis could do this, but basically hasn't in 5+ years.
All I know is that his defensive potential alone makes him extremely valuable. He isn't just tall, he can stay with smaller players.
Also, his three point shot looks nice to me. I would not be surprised is he winds up around league average for his career or better. NBA close outs disrupt shots but maybe not his. At least not consistently.
Also, his three point shot looks nice to me. I would not be surprised is he winds up around league average for his career or better. NBA close outs disrupt shots but maybe not his. At least not consistently.
AD is 6'10, not 7 feet. At that height, Durant is the model for taking guys off the dribble (and Banchero is looking really promising in that regard, too). But really, none of these guys work as a comp for Wemby. He's 6 inches or so taller than they are - that'd be like comparing Durant (or AD, or Banchero) to the likes of Anthony Edwards, Bradley Beal or Derrick White. It's difficult to really wrap my mind around it.
Agreed that 100 pounds of muscle for him at any point is a bit much, I think his frame ends up looking like Porzingis. KP is listed at 7'3 240, Wemby is currently 7'4 209. 35-40 pounds seems like a reasonable amount of weight for him to put on for a good balance of speed, lower body strength and durability. Giannis has perhaps the most impressive physical transformation since being drafted of any player in recent history, and he's put on just 45-50 pounds of muscle over the course of his career. The thought of someone putting on twice that just doesn't sound realistic.
Then again, guys his size can potentially carry 300 pounds without really showing it. Tacko Fall was listed at 7'6 311, but if you saw him standing alone on the court (without other players for reference), he looked like Garnett.
38 points last night on 15-26 shooting (3-6 from three). It's not just the number of points, it's how he got them.
Amazing post moves.
Catch and shoot midrange jumpers.
Running the floor like a guard.
Flying over people for dunks.
Burying threes effortlessly.
This guy is absolutely amazing.
Amazing post moves.
Catch and shoot midrange jumpers.
Running the floor like a guard.
Flying over people for dunks.
Burying threes effortlessly.
This guy is absolutely amazing.
The sub header under ESPN's highlights on their front page:
Wemby drops 38 points in career night in Spurs' win
I'm not saying this to make fun of ESPN, but the dude is 5 games into his career. His career nights are going to look a LOT crazier than last night. I'm looking forward to a 50 point, 20 board, 10 block game at some point.
Wemby drops 38 points in career night in Spurs' win
I'm not saying this to make fun of ESPN, but the dude is 5 games into his career. His career nights are going to look a LOT crazier than last night. I'm looking forward to a 50 point, 20 board, 10 block game at some point.
If the Celtics decide they have to trade Jaylen after this year for cap/roster construction purposes, the Spurs might be a good fit.
They might also just sit tight with all of their picks getting ready to hit in the next few years. They basically own Atlanta’s draft from 2025-2027, which could be lucrative.
Lots of flexibility going forward.
By then he might no longer have the elite athleticism and would have to turn his game into what Blake Griffin is now, and be the chargee instead of the charger, cuz I don't think the rest of his game holds up as useful skills.
I also thought of the Spurs as a good Jaylen fit.
However, they'd be trading you draft assets, and aren't their future picks inordinately likely to suck?
I'm not excited about Atlanta 2025-27 much either, since I think Trae is a good floor raiser, and the Hawks have solid young talent in place.
If the Spurs trade us more sneaky good guys like Derrick White, I'll take that over the pick assets that'll likely get swapped for good role players anyway.
Given the injury probability and history of 7'3+ guys in the league, I think they need to consider their window of contention to begin next year, and be open for maybe 5-6 years. As skinny and agile as he is, it's easy for me to armchair-doctor it and say that Wemby doesn't look like a guy whose knee (or poor heart) aches with every step he takes. But with every move he makes, I kinda hold my breath a little. We ran through the historical comps in his draft thread, but Shawn Bradley is basically the patron saint of having a full career in the NBA at that height. He played in 848 games, in at least part of 12 seasons, but only averaged >30' / game in one season (age 24) and was done as a rotation player at 28 (~1000' per year in the 4 seasons thereafter). Everyone else was moderately to substantially worse off than Bradley, career-wise. Wemby's skills will mean he starts and plays max minutes if he's healthy, but it's entirely possible that he won't last as an impact player beyond 28, or that 28 is a median expectation, anyway.
If so, the Spurs need to accelerate their turning of draft picks and assets into roster value. Trade a future Atlanta pick for a maybe-slightly-worse pick earlier. Take on some bad contracts this year or even next to get more assets, but whatever they do, draft guys who project to have quick impact. If they wait to draft another future star till (say) 2027 and he doesn't become a proper star until 2030, they may have wasted the Wembanyama Window by that point.
I think Hawks are quite combustible. They barely made the playoffs last year. If Spurs were interested, I think the trade would be Brown for Vassell and a few picks, which would allow Brad to add cheap talent to the roster.
Yeah, this isn’t like a normal 19 year-old where you can kind of wait. There is inherently more risky with Wemby. And Pop is old. I know he signed an extension but I’m guessing he wants to win now. I think Spurs will be all over whoever is the next disgruntled star to emerge.
I'd be totally on board for Vassell+.....I just don't see how the Spurs do that deal if they're trying to build a core to win.
Well, it would indeed be crazy given the below:
https://www.nba.com/news/bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo-extension
I think they do it if they think Vassell is more of a 3rd/4th option on a title team, which is my evaluation of him. He is unlikely to ever reach Jaylen’s level and they’d be signing up for Jaylen’s prime. The hardest part of roster building is finding that second or third star so either the Spurs have really bullish evaluation or Vassell or they look to upgrade him. This would obviously be dependent on how much money Wyc is willing to spend for a few years. There’s no real reason for the Celtics to trade Jaylen outside of money.
I was about to write how their assets shouldn't be used on Jaylen bc they already have their young Jaylen in Vassell who is really really good. Upgrading Collins and adding a combo 1/2 guard should be their top priorities. This isn't going to take 5 years either....if Wemby stays heathy we are talking like 1-2 years from contending. Yes, possibly as early as next year with the right moves this kid is that special. He's actually beyond special. He's a cheat code. He's a fuckin video game! He isn't real.
I really thought Keldon Johnson was on his way to becoming "their Jaylen" a few years ago, but with a modest increase in usage last year his shooting really went downhill and turnovers close to doubled. It appears his early success was from playing alongside Dejounte Murray.
Edit: agreed with @HomeRunBaker that Vassell is probably the wing comp for Jaylen now...
Edit: agreed with @HomeRunBaker that Vassell is probably the wing comp for Jaylen now...
Giannis is maybe the greatest physical presence in NBA history, or at least up there with Wilt, Shaq, and Lebron, but he's probably below average from a skills perspective. Wemby, otoh, is physically imposing and has incredible basketball skills. I have no idea what his ceiling is if he stays healthy.
If Wemby didn't improve at all from his 19 year old self while not adding any strength whatsoever....he's still probably a HOFer. Think about it. #NoBrakes
Back to the subject, as others have noted it wasn't just the efficient scoring. It wasn't just the spots from the floor that he used. It was the fact that the guy clearly has advanced basketball instincts. Its one thing to have those physical gifts but entirely another to know how to use them efficiently.
I also just love that he is tenacious in fighting for position, keeps moving, and sets picks. He has an edge to him. San Antonio is the perfect place for him to develop.
It's nice to see Pop back invigorated and actually coaching rather than sitting on the bench like it's an AAU game followed by snide comments in his presser. Wemby extended Pop's career by years but more important brought him back to the game.
Good news is that the Spurs have 8-9 years to convince him to stay for the supermax.
Is it Lew Alcindor...at UCLA? The end of game dap with Durant was startling. Their height difference is alarming. It has the potential to be a man among boys situation. Watching him and Joker in the West is going to be very cool these next few years.
I watched both Wemby games against the Suns, and he was productive despite many moments during the games where he would be pushed out of position, or make a poor rookie decision. If he’s leading the Spurs to victories to allegedly good teams like the Suns, as he gains more strength and experience, the Spurs are going to be good.
Bigger players are totally going to be able to just move him around, but it may not matter. He could get pushed off his spot but with his forty foot wingspan he can still get to a lot.
Maybe the best way to beat him is with an old school bruising post player and just hammer him all game long on the block, but those don't really exist anymore.
Maybe the best way to beat him is with an old school bruising post player and just hammer him all game long on the block, but those don't really exist anymore.
