Victor Wembanyama’s focus on fundamentals is the Tim Duncan trait the Spurs are feeding off

Victor Wembanyama has grown up before our eyes, and it has very little to do with any new moves in his bag. The biggest jump in his game this year comes from the stuff Tim Duncan built a Hall of Fame career on: patience, simple decisions, and getting the little things right.

That's saying something, because it shows Wemby didn't necessarily need fixing. He was already a Defensive Player of the Year and a top-three MVP finisher last season. A few tweaks in the right areas was all that was needed to unlock what we're witnessing now.

The Spurs star is taking pages from the Big Fundamental

Duncan was the Big Fundamental for a reason. He won five championships in Silver and Black by using his basketball IQ to take what defenses gave him, and we're seeing those same instincts in Wemby more than ever. Wembanyama himself acknowledged this recently.

"It's mostly decision-making, really. I'm not doing anything that I was not physically able to do 12 months ago." - Victor Wembanyama after the Spurs' 122-96 win over Phoenix.

That was the thing about Duncan's game. It was never about the highlight—though the very nature of Wemby's size and ability generates those naturally. For Timmy, it was about the right play, over and over, until the opponent ran out of answers. The Alien has the length and skill nobody else in the league has, but the way he's using them now is what stands out.

Wembanyama's screens are opening up the Spurs' offense

Start with the screens. He's averaging 1.8 screen assists per game, according to NBA.com, and that ranks 48th in the league. He's up from 1.4 last season, and that wasn't even in the top 75. The French destroyer would rush through the picks, slipping them too often or popping out early to get the ball in his hands. He's much more patient now.

Vic sets his screens, makes the contact, and lets the action do its job. That part of the play doesn't catch your eye in the highlights, but it shows up in how the Spurs' offense moves. His patience helps the whole operation, not just the ball handler's scoring.

When Wemby picks off the ball handler's defender, the help has to step up. Now lanes are opening for the Spurs' superstar to get easy buckets, or the driver can fire it to a three-point shooter as the defense gets sucked in. His looks at the rim are much better because of it, so his dunk numbers have shot through the roof.

Wembanyama is making smarter decisions for the Spurs

The decision-making is the other half of it. He's simplifying the game and taking what the defense gives him instead of settling. If there's a mismatch, he goes straight at it. That's what he's supposed to do, and the fourth-year punisher understands that. It's helped him get to the line more, shooting eight free throws a night compared to seven last season.

The midrange shots look different now, too. A lot of his midrange looks last season came off the dribble. This year, he's pulling up when it's open, and those are easier shots than trying to force his way into the paint or dance his way into a tougher pull-up.

A new structure and his increased strength with the ball have toned down his turnovers to 2.0 a game from the 2.4 he was posting last year. It's a small difference on the surface, but the offense is running through Wembanyama more than ever, making the reduction more impressive.

Duncan never needed flash to dominate. Fundamentals and instinct were more than enough to get the job done. Wemby is learning he doesn't need it either. That's the maturation the rest of the league didn't want to see.

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