The key behind Victor Wembanyama's MVP run should terrify opponents

Teams across the league should be terrified at the idea of guarding Victor Wembanyama next season. The Spurs' young star should be motivated to win his first MVP award, so don't be surprised if we see a more aggressive and assertive version of him, specifically on offense.

Now, this isn't to suggest that Wemby was passive last season. He averaged 25 points per game on 51.2% shooting in the regular season, which were both the highest marks of his career. It was already a tall task for opposing coaching staffs to game plan against him.

But there are always paths to improve, and for Victor, this includes finding new ways to attack defenses and dominate as a scorer. Fleshing out his offensive arsenal would leave other MVP candidates in the dust next season.

Wemby must become more assertive against physical defenses

The Knicks had an awesome game plan to slow down Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals. Mike Brown knew how much damage he could inflict in the paint, so he prompted his defenders to get physical and keep him from dominating inside. In effect, Wemby was forced to settle for jump shots in some games, which limited his offensive impact.

Now, Wemby can make jumpers; that's one of the signature elements of his game. But it can never fully replace his impact in the paint. Next season, he must find a way to push back against those sorts of physical defenses so he can still do damage on the interior. When he owns his space near the rim, he's virtually unguardable.

It's all about balance. There's nothing wrong with Victor taking long-distance or mid-range shots, but the issues come when he's forced to settle for those. Finding that common ground between the outside and interior is the perfect way to become more assertive and sharpen his offensive attack.

Victor's improved shot creation will make him more dangerous

Another thing the NBA Finals showed us is that Victor Wembanyama still has a way to go as a shot creator. He's had some good moments operating as a one-on-one scorer throughout the early stages of his career, but there are levels he hasn't unlocked just yet.

If he's not able to get to the paint, he can't let defenses dictate where he shoots. It's on him to understand his kill spots and consistently get to them so he can score at will.

That's a trait every great offensive player has. Be it Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant, or LeBron James, each of these guys knew how to walk defenders down into their favorite spots and get to work. Victor must do the same in his fourth season.

Wemby is already great. He's the best two-way player in the NBA with a deep playoff run under his belt. Now it's time for him to silence any remaining doubters, and that can come by way of being more assertive on offense.

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