Grading Wembanyama in Summer League: One thing to learn from Giannis / News - Basketnews.com

In his NBA Summer League debut, Victor Wembanyama showed some promising potential in a few areas that might not be easy for a casual fan to see. However, his first game against Charlotte showed what he still lacks and could learn from Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix Credit Ethan Miller/Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix

Getting selected with the No. 1 pick is a blessing and a burden at the same time.Victor Wembanyamafelt it fully in the two Summer League games he played.

1st pick means you get the largest rookie contract of your class, the most attention, and probably, the longest period to develop your potential into a consistent threat on the court.

It also means the expectations are incredibly high. In Wembanyama'scase, it's at an all-time high since the social media times we now live in have hyped the Frenchman's unique upside to the extreme.

In this article, we are evaluating Wembanyama's performance in Las Vegas. And the standard isn't going to be low (#1 pick duties sets the bar high!) but with no intention to overreact. After all, it's just summer basketball.

1-on-1 basketball

That is something we must consider. I don't want to generalize, but Summer League basketball is easier for guards or simply those who excel in a 1-on-1 game and have a speed advantage over the others.

Right now, the 19-year-old Wembanyama doesn't quite match the description. Also, due to a hectic media and flying schedule before and after the draft, Wembanyama didn't have much time to practice with his new teammates.

That left the Spurs and him (like most teams in the Summer League) relying on the individual brand of basketball.

That's partly why his debut against Charlotte wasn't successful. With all the buzz around him and 19,000 spectators in the gym, Wemby's first two actions were 1-on-1 situations with everyone else standing around and watching.

For those who have watched a bit more of his French League games this season, it's clear that stationary ISOs aren't his game yet. As a result, instead of getting into the rhythm with an easy look, he waited for much longer until that first field goal.

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