One reasonably unreasonable prediction for Wembanyama's sophomore season

'What's next' is the question permeating the minds of basketball purists, fans, and analysts, all fascinated by the spectacle that is Victor Wembanyama. His rookie year was a mix of astonishment and disappointment, but the letdowns had little to do with him. The Spurs were just not good enough to keep enough games close, allowing for Wemby to shine bright in high-leverage moments.

That is the pinnacle of NBA basketball. You can craft the most amazing highlight mixtape of all time, but if you never play in games that matter or perform in them when they come, you won't garner the respect of other legends. That starts with production—something he had little problems with last season. But this season, expect it to skyrocket.

Wembanyama will average over 30 points per game

At the Spurs media day, he told everyone this year, the Spurs "expect to win." That means more than anything. San Antonio was at the bottom of the rankings in most of the statistical categories that matter. They ran one of the highest-paced offenses in the league, and it didn't equal a high-scoring offense. As the best player, he'll have to do more because he is capable of more.

Last season, Wemby missed some easy looks, players missed the opportunity to feed him for quick buckets, and he missed way more free throws than you'd like to see. His easy-to-see determination makes it a good bet that he'll address the things he can control. He's mentioned working on his fundamentals and finishing around the rim were points of emphasis in the offseason.

But Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes are the other keys that will unlock his true scoring potential. With the ball in CP3's hands, he'll make the correct read nine times out of ten. They don't call him the Point God for no reason. Not only will he make the right pass, but he'll put the ball in the perfect place for an easy bucket.

As a veteran with plenty of experience playing with elite players whom he needed to feed the ball, Barnes will also make the right reads, understanding the need to feature Wembanyama. In April last season, the Rookie of the Year averaged 25 points. He continued to make strides regardless of the shortcomings of the team. As they gelled and he got more comfortable, he started to dominate.

The Spurs will get that from him from the beginning, and his added weight will force teams to get even more physical with him, sending him to the free-throw line for more attempts per game. The combination of these factors will lead to the first 30-point-per-game average in an NBA player's sophomore season since Michael Jordan.