Wembanyama provides important conditioning update ahead of Spurs' Training Camp

NBA Media Day gives fans a chance to see their team's new acquisitions in uniform, and all eyes were on Victor Wembanyama during Spurs Media Day. There, he provided an update that is sure to draw attention ahead of his preseason debut.

Normally, claims that players have gained 10–15 pounds and are in the best shape of their lives during Media Day should be taken with a grain of salt, given how cliche it has become. Even still, the biggest knock against Wembanyama during the draft process was that he was too thin.

Why Victor Wembanyama bulking up is important for the Spurs

There was some truth to the criticism since bigger centers have a tendency to push him around in the post, making it harder for him to block shots when backed underneath the rim. If Wembanyama has indeed managed to put on that much weight in just three months, that is definitely encouraging, though Charles Barkley will probably have a field day with that knowledge.

Adding that much weight so quickly is an encouraging development. In fact, if he continues at this rate, he may not have to play power forward for more than a season or two before he is ready to play center full-time. That would allow the Spurs to put more shooting around him and play faster when compared to him sharing the floor with a center.

It would also force other teams into defensive dilemmas, with Wemby being able to knock down open threes, create shots for himself off the dribble, or even crush lobs in pick-and-rolls. That's a diverse skillset, and few players will be equipped to defend him one-on-one, especially once he's able to throw his weight around in the post.

It may take some time for him to be able to put those skills together, especially at the NBA level, and we probably won't see Wembanyama much at center during his rookie season. But, at this rate, in another six months, he could look like an entirely different player.