On Episode 4 of the “No Limit” podcast, Iman Shumpert explained why he would build a team in the current NBA around Victor Wembanyama.
According to Shumpert, not only is Wembanyama so young that a team has a lot of time to put pieces around him, but he is also still so raw that there’s just an incredible amount of potential to grow, not only when it comes to his game but to the physical appearance of the San Antonio Spurs phenom as well.
“I say Wemby too, but I say it because his body ain’t developed. He is still Bambi out there. He needs to go do whatever Giannis did to get strong,”said Shumpert.
Giannis has become an unstoppable force
Shump added that Wemby has made strides since his rookie year and has gotten stronger. However, when defenders put a body on him, he still gets dislodged from his position. And although Victor has learned how to make baskets after contact, Iman says it will be different if he can become as strong as Giannis is right now.
Looking back, Antetokounmpo was a lean, lanky teenager from Greece when he first arrived in the United States. However, Giannis didn’t just work to improve his game; he spent long hours in the gym to get bigger and stronger. After years of hard work, not only is the Milwaukee Bucks superstar a two-time MVP and a one-time NBA champion, he’s also one of the most unstoppable forces in the league.
“You remember when he caught that rebound his rookie year, his second year, and he brought it down. It’s like you big, but it’s like we get it. Like you long. But it was like it became a ‘stare-at-you’ dribble. He knew, ‘I’m so strong, it’s nothing you can do, Shump. I’m so much stronger than you now; you got to figure out a new move on me. Like you ain’t stripping me’. Like I stripped at it and it did not pop out,” he continued.
Wemby’s viral power move on Kornet
As if he was right on cue, Wembanyama became viral after a coast-to-coast move, which he finished by running through Luke Kornet before dunking the ball with two hands in a strong finish that caught many by surprise. And although it was just a scrimmage game by the Spurs, it still showed improved strength from the Year 3 version of Wemby.
“This summer, I chose to do something much more violent,” Wembanyama said at Spurs media day. “Maybe that takes away from some time I can spend on shooting the basketball, but it doesn’t matter. I wanted to get my body back. I can assure you, nobody has trained like I did this summer. And this is my best summer so far. I can tell the progress is just incredible. I feel better, I look stronger, and the scale says I’m heavier.”
Wemby went from 210 pounds during his rookie year to 235 pounds for the 2024-25 NBA season. The Spurs listed him at 240 right before the start of training camp. However, he’s also grown an inch and is now listed at 7’4″.
While co-hosts Kenyon Martin and Darius Miles had a good reason to say they want to build around Nikola Jokic, Shumpert and Rashad McCants may have chosen the better option by doing so around Wembanyama. While you get what you wish to with the Joker, Wemby’s potential is limitless.
Related: “Without a fu—g doubt” – Patrick Beverley agrees with ESPN’s ranking of Victor Wembanyama