Victor Wembanyama's early play gets passionate plea from Austin Rivers
11/12/2024 07:34 PM
Austin Rivers has seen enough of the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama “floating” around the perimeter.
Wembanyama is a 7’3 unicorn, who Rivers says should be making his living inside. The former NBA guard aired his frustrations with the Spurs second-year pro on the latest episode of his Off Guard with Austin Rivers podcast.
“I don’t mind him shooting a three. I mind [when] that's his identity,” Rivers explained. “He's on the three-point arc, just the perimeter, he floats around there too much. I'm not even talking about what he's shooting. I don’t know what his percentage is. I don’t know how many threes he's actually shooting a game. I just know he's around the perimeter too f–king much. I don’t like it. It drives me f–ing insane.”
Rivers didn’t stop there. In an impassioned rant, he outlined everything that Wembanyama can do and how unstoppable he can be at his best — and he’s at his best when he’s dominating inside.
“This guy should live at the basket bro,” he said. “Just be down there, tip-ins. This guy should have like seven put-backs a game. Not dunks, just rebounds, tip-ins. Keeping the ball alive. Picking, rolling, slipping, catching it, weak-side pass, more rebounds, pushing full-court, telling everybody ‘run, run, run let me find you.’ Hand-off, another pick, slip to the basket, now I'm at the basket and it's a Euro-step and no one can block you, Vic, there’s no answer for you. And because you're so light and skinny, every bump from you looks like a foul.”
How Austin Rivers wants Spurs center Victor Wembanyama to use his 3-point shot
That’s not to say Wembanyama should never shoot the three. But he shot just 33% last year and is now at 31% in 2024-25.
“Get him off the line. I'm not saying he's not capable,” Rivers continued. “I'm not saying he can't shoot two to three. He is a specimen we have never seen in the NBA. He's a freak. All these different things. I get all of that. I'm all for the evolution of the game. I want Victor to be out there shooting a step-back three. Just not seven of them. Shoot one to two, fam.”
And when Wembanyama does take a three, Rivers thinks he could be setting himself up better for success. He argues that Wembanyama should establish his dominance first, which would open up better looks for himself on the perimeter.
“Start inside. Dominate. Dominate. Dominate,” Rivers said. “Dominate so much inside that you get an open three any time you want it because they're so worried about you being inside that now you get to pick and choose when you let one fly.”
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