Random Timberwolves fan nails reason watching Wemby feels unfathomable

Believe it or not, there are people out there who believe Victor Wembanyama is overrated. Just as recently as today, I saw a comment from a fan labeling him "regular" because his offensive game is supposedly limited. That's wrong for two reasons. For one, Vic's offense is so diverse that he often doesn't know which tool to use. That's the opposite of limited.

Secondly, his defense is otherworldly. That alone should make anyone rethink any "overrated" accusations. This Timberwolves fan understands that after Wemby made his return to the starting lineup in Minnesota, and led a 16-0 effort to open the game.

Every time the Alien was on the court, the Timberwolves had to change their approach significantly. You have to give them credit. They stepped up their defense, took advantage of San Antonio's slumping offense, and made clutch buckets when they mattered. That game may be over, but Vic's impact in it should supercharge his Defensive Player of the Year case.

Wemby makes it possible to slow down the best offenses

It's always funny when a random fan calls a star player overrated, but when you hear the elites from rival teams talk about said star, they do nothing but shower praise. Anthony Edwards is one of the NBA's absolute best, and when Wemby stood across from him with the game on the line, he approached the situation with the proper respect for a fellow baller.

Minnesota averages 120 points per game—124 over their past 10. They scored 104 against San Antonio, and Vic only played 27 minutes. Boston was averaging 120 over the same span until they played the Spurs. The things Victor can do in limited minutes should astound viewers. He covers ground like no other big in the league, forcing offenses to play more reactively than they'd prefer.

This isn't college basketball, where teams will throw the ball around the perimeter constantly to force defenses to shift until they find a crack to drive. NBA offenses are usually designed more methodically than that, but the goal is still to get into the paint to create scoring opportunities.

Coaches use a bunch of different ways to make that happen, but when Vic is down there, guys have to adjust on the fly when their actions work, not just when they don't. Professional basketball guards are so talented that if you get them going downhill with a big man on their heels, they can usually make something good happen. That's just not the case with Wembanyama in the game.

The Spurs have been on an offensive slide lately, but they'd be even worse for wear without their franchise center to anchor their defense. They've made their way back into the top five in defensive rating because of him, and as long as he can avoid missing too many more games this season, that Defensive Player of the Year award, proving to be more elusive than it should be, will finally be his.