Victor Wembanyama is beating his critics into submission the old-fashioned way

Everyone tried to tell Victor Wembanyama what he should be when he entered the league, and Spurs fans are elated the 7'5" Frenchman didn't listen. Instead of arguing or getting frustrated by all of the takes that flew about how he should be playing, he went to work on the floor. There's nothing anyone can say about the shots he takes now because he silenced them in the most effective way possible.

Wemby's third season has been a revelation for many who struggled to understand why someone so tall refused to spend the majority of his time in the paint. There were plenty of media members on that train, but now they're preaching Vic's gospel for him.

"You can not put Victor Wembanyama in a box. He's been telling us all along," Tim MacMahon told his co-hosts of the Hoops Collective podcast, and he's right. Wemby has been consistent since before joining the league about his archetype. It doesn't really exist, so don't try to judge him by normal standards. He's not a traditional center. Don't treat him like one.

Wembanyama's unique-ability forces viewers to shut up and watch

You know how you used to (or still do if your knees don't hurt like mine) hit the park and the guy with the ugly jump shot landed on your team? You'd be in the middle of a game, and he'd start to pull up for a three, and you start to say, "NOO!" But then he splashes it, and you have no choice but to accept that this unassuming janitor may actually be a bona fide hooper. That's like this but on steroids.

Now, obviously Vic didn't come in at the level of a janitor, but the point is you can't judge a book by its cover. That tall guy you keep telling to get in the paint to play center at the rec was actually a shooting guard growing up and in his basketball leagues. If you give him the chance, he'll mix up everyone on the court and drop buckets from anywhere on the floor. Stop telling him what to do.

Tim Bontemps is the perfect example. He's one of many spectators who has repeatedly pleaded with Wembanyama to play more inside. If you know Bontemps' work, you know he can be difficult to please, and it's not easy to change his mind. Even he has come around now that he understands what the Alien's game is transforming into.

"If Victor's going to shoot 47% from three and make 4 1/2 threes a game, then they're going to be able to do whatever they want... If he's shooting that level, it's not some give back to the defense. If he becomes a consistent 40% three-point shooter, then it's just over." - Tim Bontemps

Well, yes.

Wembanyama has always played the long game

In Victor's rookie season, nobody expected the Spurs to win a bunch of games, and yet they seemed to think Wemby should play nothing but "winning basketball." That basically just meant doing everything in his power to take advantage of his physical ability to dominate in the paint because traditionally, that's what big men do. But nothing about this kid is traditional.

He never planned to be normal, and when you saw him convert a putback dunk off his own missed three-point attempt years ago, you should have known that. He needed to get reps with his shot in games because it was always going to be a strong part of his arsenal. Now that the efficiency has risen, it seems silly to have ever suggested he stop shooting the ball.

If you can't stop him outside, you certainly won't be able to stop him inside. He's developing an ironclad toolbox so he'll have answers to any test opponents throw at him. That takes time, and he's still doing it faster than anyone should reasonably expect. Wembanyama's 3PT% is up to 36% for the season after shooting 40% over his past 10 games.

In his fifth ever NBA game in 2023, he dropped 38 points in 34 minutes, making 15/26 FG and 3/6 3PT. That should have triggered nothing but excitement over what he could become. Watching him do that against Kevin Durant and what was a good Phoenix team at the time should have turned everyone into believers.

That's okay, though. You're all here now. Better late than never.