Underrated Wemby skill should propel Spurs to league leaders in steals

We all know that Victor Wembanyama is a block goblin (A bloblin? Okay, maybe not). It feels like this guy swallows shots whole when they try to disrespect him by acting like he's not standing right there on their layups/dunk attempts. He's going to continue to do that, and Spurs Nation thanks him for this very hilarious ability. It's fun to watch. But he's also great at deflecting passes.

One of the most striking things that has stood out to me since Vic entered the league was his ability to get his hands into the passing lanes. Whether that's while he's standing on his two feet or in the air, adjusting to a would-be driver's panic pass, he is a disruptor.

Think about the number of times he's gone up for a block, only for the offensive player to change their mind mid-air and try to pass the ball out, but Wemby quickly adjusts his hands to knock the pass attempt away. It's a very uncanny ability, and with the Spurs focusing more on defense, a healthy De'Aaron Fox year, and the incoming athletes they drafted, they should get more steals.

The Spurs' guards and wings should shoot passing lanes more

Wembanyama is going to do what he does: block shots and disrupt offenses better than anyone in the league. The rest of the team has to get on that same kick. The rim protection he provides should allow the perimeter players to play more physically and take a few more chances.

Fox has averaged about two steals a game the past three seasons. He's fast enough to shoot the gap and rotate to the next guy if he misses. But everyone needs to be on a string defensively, which means the rotations have to be crisp. Great defenses get that reputation because the players cover each other's backs when mistakes are made or when someone gets overly aggressive.

But you'd rather have a defense that takes those kinds of chances than a passive one relying on the hope that the offense just misses their shot. Take shot attempts away from them entirely.

Every one of these players—Fox, Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, Jeremy Sochan, Julian Champagnie, and Wemby—has an elongated wingspan. Hell, even Lindy Waters III has stupidly long arms. They should be using those tools to get their hands on more passes.

The Spurs finished last season 12th in steals. This team could skyrocket their defensive presence by doing so, and lead the league in that stat by a wide margin if they do.