3 Ways Victor Wembanyama could instantly make Spurs contenders

The expectations for 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama are erupting through the roof like a transformer in a one-car garage. No one blames Spurs fans for the excitement they cannot (and should not) stifle in anticipation of the fast-approaching 2023 NBA Draft. After all, a large segment of them only knew what it was like to make the playoffs year after year before the precipitous drop occurred. For the rest, it had simply become customary.

Regardless of your status as an older or younger Spurs fan, successful regular seasons and perennial postseason appearances were the norm. Wemby's arrival is on the horizon, and he offers a hopeful light at the end of what has been a dreadful tunnel of irrelevance for San Antonio. Adding such talent to the roster can do many things for an organization, but most important in the minds of many is title contention and how fast the Spurs can get back to it.

Confidence Booster

The San Antonio Spurs are known as an organization with things figured out in the culture department. Most people around the league understand what Gregg Popovich and the front office have built in the 2-1-0, but those things start coming into question the more a team loses. More importantly, the players can begin doubting themselves and whether what they are doing is working. Drafting Wembanyama will lead to more wins and increased trust in the system.

Under the expert coaching of Gregg Popovich, the Spurs can turn things around quicker than John Wick in a sea of enemies. The pivot requires talented players, a cultural buy-in, and a dedicated work ethic. All three are necessary to win. The Heat are a fantastic example of how powerful culture and work ethic can be. Golden State's preseason transgression fractured their culture. The season that followed put a spotlight on their flaws despite their immense talent.

Defensive Impact

The Nuggets did not have a reputation as a defense-first team throughout the regular season, but their commitment on that end of the court has been a catalyst for their championship run. Denver has posted the fifth-best defensive rating in the NBA during the playoffs. Most sayings only reach the "cliché" status because they have truth to them, and "defense wins championships" has consistently rung true for decades.

Wembanyama understands the importance of defense. During the French Playoffs, he has averaged 2.6 blocks and 1.1 steals per game, never allowing opposing offenses to feel comfortable in his presence. This mindset, paired with the principles instilled by Coach Pop and the length of Jeremy Sochan and Devin Vassell, will make it challenging for anyone to score against San Antonio. Defense is mostly about effort, and this revamped Spurs roster will disrupt opponents on every possession.

Dangerous Scoring

Defenses are as sophisticated now as they have ever been, but offenses still have the benefit of being the initiators. They have to react to Victor Wembanyama, and if they do not, they will perish from a versatile offensive skill set that this young man has yet to hone. He will enter the league with many tools at his disposal, and those skills will force defenses to adjust to him, opening space for his teammates to do damage.

Roster construction and development will be critical to San Antonio's potential capacity on offense, but blueprints are readily available. Boston, Golden State, and Denver have shown that having multiple shooters and ball handlers can be a nightmare for opponents. Place a generational talent on a developed roster, and you have created a monster capable of breaking down defenses in multiple ways.

Teenagers do not generally walk in the door and automatically turn a lottery team into a contender. However, the Spurs have a solid foundation of young players with plenty of NBA experience. If San Antonio makes calculated moves in free agency and sees reasonable developmental leaps from Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Jeremy Sochan, they could kick in the door sooner rather than later.