3 Things Spurs fans should watch closely in Victor Wembanyama's debut

Anticipation is in the air as Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs are only hours away from taking centerstage at a sold-out Thomas & Mack Center for their Las Vegas Summer League opener. The number one overall pick sat out of the California Classic for some much-needed rest after a long season with Metropolitans 92, but he is ready to suit up in Silver and Black and join his teammates for a primetime matchup against the Charlotte Hornets.

Basketball fans have patiently waited to witness Wembanyama set foot on the hardwood, and he will be under a microscope as he logs his first unofficial NBA minutes. Everyone has seen the audacious step-back threes and resounding alley-oops that fill his countless highlight reels across the internet, but what else should the Spurs faithful be on the lookout for when the Parisian sensation sets a new era in motion for their proud franchise on Friday night?

1.) How does his rim protection translate?

Wembanyama is fresh off a historically dominant season with Metropolitans 92, where he led the LNB Pro A in points, rebounds, and blocks as a teenager. Despite his ludicrous per-game production and a finals appearance in one of the best professional leagues in the world, the 7-foot-3 center has several adjustments ahead of him as he prepares for all the intricate changes that come with taking his once-in-a-lifetime talents stateside.

The 19-year-old phenom has played in France for the entirety of his basketball career, and while FIBA rules have allowed him to snatch balls off the rim and camp out inside the paint, those luxuries are off limits in the NBA. Though there is no doubt Wembanyama has been brushing up on the three-second violation and goaltending guidelines, it would be tough to blame him for reverting to old habits during his unnoficial debut for the Spurs.

2.) Will the Spurs give him free rein on the court?

It is no secret Metropolitans 92 structured their roster around Wembanyama to highlight his skills and offer him as many touches as humanly possible. The offense ran through the young frenchman, and it worked to near perfection as opponents had no answers for his combination of size, ballhandling, and mobility. With that said, he was far from the most efficient scorer, often settling for contested jumpers and heat checks early into possessions.

Head Coach Vincent Collet gave Wembanyama a long leash to do practically anything he wanted, but it should be interesting to see if the Spurs follow that philosophy on Friday night. Their newest face of the franchise has some shot selection issues that can get him into trouble from time to time, and that trigger-happy mentality might be on display as he shakes off any first-game jitters. Nonetheless, fans are likely in for some eye-popping stepbacks and fadeways.

3.) Can Wemby handle the target on his back?

There will always be an emourmous target on your back when you're the first overall pick of your draft class, but earning the title of "best prospect since LeBron James" is a surefire way to guarantee every player in the gym wants to knock you down a peg. With most Summer League participants looking for a chance to secure a contract to keep their NBA dreams alive, there will be plenty of opponents trying to leave a lasting impression by putting Wembanyama on a poster.

Even if the slender rim protector meets every would-be dunker at the summit, they are just as likely to challenge him on the other end. No one wants to be remembered as the team or player that gave up a 40-piece to Wembanyama during his opening act in Las Vegas, so expect the Hornets to send double teams to get the ball out of his hands. Charlotte may have a game plan to turn Victor into a playmaker, but he has the passing chops to use his gravity to create open looks.