The way he is playing, everything seems a bit forced. Which is not bad. Because the only way to get better is to play and learn from it. That’s the way. You make a lot of mistakes and learn.
I’m glad they let him make those mistakes and learn from them. But I think there is good and bad in it. The good thing about it is that you learn from your mistakes. But again, it’s bad, you know, it feels a little bit pressured. Like, a few shots. He can do it himself easily. He can make it easier for himself. Like, it’s 7-5, 7-6. Sometimes, and that’s one thing I’m learning. Like, sometimes, just go down there and whatever, just shoot somebody. Sometimes, you don’t have to work (so hard). I’m still learning it. We all have the same problem.”
Wembanyama is so skilled, so unique, that he can do a little bit of everything, but being good at everything and not being specific in one style doesn’t necessarily lead to that level of NBA success. Vembanyama has to choose who he wants to be as a player, even though he can dip into other styles if the situation demands.
Looking at Vembanyama’s game, a few things are obvious and likely to happen, like him being physically strong. This wasn’t a secret when he came into the league, but it can happen with dedication over the years (Antetokounmpo is the poster child for that kind of change). Looks like Vembanyama has got it.
Part of that is finding the true identity of who he wants on the court. It’s not that he has to be Durant or Embiid – he can be his own unique being – but that identity is still taking shape and needs to be built. That’s the goal this first season in San Antonio – to keep winning, just trusting the team process and getting better. Vembanyama is doing so, although it may sometimes be uneven. This was a season of learning.
Joel Embiid understands this better than anyone.
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