Wembanyama is still displaying some rookie tendencies
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Victor Wembanyama‘s potential game-winning fade-away 3-pointer at the buzzer missed its mark, and the San Antonio Spurs squandered an opportunity for a rare victory against a Memphis Grizzlies team that has been depleted for much of the season.
Following the disappointing 99-97 loss, the highly touted prospect reflected on what could have been, but his regret extended beyond the last-second shot.
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“I didn’t seal the deal,” Wemby lamented to ClutchPoints, referring to a nearly 20-point lead his team had established early on.
Despite delivering his seventh 30-plus point game of the season and third this month, as the top pick in last summer’s draft, Wembanyama couldn’t shake off the feeling of missed chances.
In acknowledging the failure to “seal the deal,” Wembanyama highlighted his team’s 17-point advantage in the second quarter.
“I distinctly recall a moment in the first half when we were comfortably ahead,” Wemby recalled before addressing the lost opportunity.
“This is what struck me. I realized the importance of maintaining intensity regardless of the opponent. Whether it’s [Joel] Embiid or Giannis [Antetokounmpo] in front of us, we must maintain the same level of aggression. I wanted to approach the game with the same intensity, and these are errors I won’t repeat,” asserted the Spurs’ leading scorer.
What else did Wemby say?
Throughout the second half, Wemby displayed increased offensive assertiveness. However, by then, Memphis had not only erased the deficit but also surged ahead.
“Step up. React. Contribute to the team’s success as much as possible,” he added when questioned about that phase of the game. “We needed a response one way or another because their defense wasn’t particularly formidable.”
“Yeah, I can’t recall the exact sequence, but it’s possible,” Wembanyama replied when asked about his heightened aggression. “I’ll need to review the game footage.”
With another 31-point performance on Friday, the 20-year-old sensation continued his remarkable season individually, also securing 16 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks against the Grizzlies. However, it was his missed opportunities that weighed heavily on his mind following the defeat to a Grizzlies team absent key players such as Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, Brandon Clarke, Luke Kennard, and Derrick Rose.
Trailing by two points with just one second remaining, the Spurs devised a play in which Devin Vassell positioned himself in the corner while Wemby rolled to the block. However, Jeremy Sochan couldn’t find either option, leading to a timeout to avoid a five-second violation.
“Yes, because we had the option for either a three-pointer or a two-pointer,” Victor Wembanyama confirmed to ClutchPoints regarding the play’s design.
Wemby’s subsequent miss from long range sealed the Spurs’ fate, leaving them with a 15-55 record for the season.
