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Last summer, Victor Wembanyama had one of the busiest summers possible for an NBA player. In addition to playing in 71 games in his rookie season, he played in six Olympic basketball games, as well as some FIBA events with Team France.
In his second NBA season, he looked the part of an All-NBA player, averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.8 blocks per game before a blood clot diagnosis ended his season early.
He is expected to be back in force next season, although he has long made it clear that he plans to play for France in the EuroBasket tournament this August.
While both the San Antonio Spurs and fans would enjoy watching him play this summer, perhaps slowly ramping back up to the NBA schedule would be best, although the French are banking on him playing.
"We had Victor before his operation," French coach Frederic Fauthoux told L'Equipe last month. "He is motivated to be part of the team. We will see as his physical development progresses. We will make the decision when the time is right."
With Wembanyama, the French are the favorites to win the tournament. Without him, Serbia, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, and Spain all have much better chances.
For the Spurs, however, forcing him to skip the tournament might be the best move to make.
To start last season, after a heavy Olympic schedule, Wembanyama was clearly not playing his best. Through the first ten games, he averaged only 18.3 points and 10.2 rebounds, and shot much worse than his season averages from the floor and from 3.
Wembanyama is yet to have a "full" NBA offseason. His French League career did not end until ten days before the 2023 draft, and he spent last summer in the Olympics. As a result, he got off to a slow start in his sophomore season.
With De'Aaron Fox in town and the playoff window officially open for the Spurs, asking their star to prioritize his NBA club might be a necessity, even if it could force some tough conversations.
Check out the Inside the Spurs home page for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
Continue reading...
In his second NBA season, he looked the part of an All-NBA player, averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.8 blocks per game before a blood clot diagnosis ended his season early.
He is expected to be back in force next season, although he has long made it clear that he plans to play for France in the EuroBasket tournament this August.
While both the San Antonio Spurs and fans would enjoy watching him play this summer, perhaps slowly ramping back up to the NBA schedule would be best, although the French are banking on him playing.
"We had Victor before his operation," French coach Frederic Fauthoux told L'Equipe last month. "He is motivated to be part of the team. We will see as his physical development progresses. We will make the decision when the time is right."
With Wembanyama, the French are the favorites to win the tournament. Without him, Serbia, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, and Spain all have much better chances.
For the Spurs, however, forcing him to skip the tournament might be the best move to make.
To start last season, after a heavy Olympic schedule, Wembanyama was clearly not playing his best. Through the first ten games, he averaged only 18.3 points and 10.2 rebounds, and shot much worse than his season averages from the floor and from 3.
Wembanyama is yet to have a "full" NBA offseason. His French League career did not end until ten days before the 2023 draft, and he spent last summer in the Olympics. As a result, he got off to a slow start in his sophomore season.
With De'Aaron Fox in town and the playoff window officially open for the Spurs, asking their star to prioritize his NBA club might be a necessity, even if it could force some tough conversations.
Check out the Inside the Spurs home page for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
Related: San Antonio Spurs Need to Pay Attention to One Playoff Series for $228 Million Reason
Related: San Antonio Spurs Rivals Predicted to Collapse Before Next Season
Related: San Antonio Spurs Rivals Predicted to Collapse Before Next Season
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