Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama not living up to the hype, says Kendrick Perkins

HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 5: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 5, 2024 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)

On Wednesday evening, the San Antonio Spurs dropped their second straight game with a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder that featured a battle between last year’s rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama and the runner up Chet Holmgren. Holmgren got the better of Wembanyama during the matchup on Wednesday, as Wembanyama struggled from the field and couldn’t generate much offense for his teammates in the loss.

Overall, it’s been a relatively lackluster start for Wembanyama to his highly anticipated sophomore campaign, one in which many speculated he would become a consensus top ten player in the NBA.

Although there’s still obviously plenty of time to get things turned around, former NBA center and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins is already sounding the alarm on the Spurs star’s struggles.

“The greatest prospect, draft prospect since LeBron James. The guy that was supposed to go to San Antonio and save the organization,” said Perkins on NBA Today. You might need to borrow my costume right now because he is not on the verge of this season showing that. He’s struggling because you know why at 7’5, you got Chris Paul you’ve got to get in the paint.”

Perkins then gave Wembanyama some sage big man to big man advice for how to best utilize his unique skillset.

“I would rather get away from wanting to be a Kevin Durant and start being more like a Giannis Antetokounmpo, let’s get up in that paint,” said Perkins.

Can the Spurs contend for the playoffs?

The Spurs’ offseason additions of Harrison Barnes and Chris Paul were supposed to give the team a much needed supporting cast around Victor Wembanyama and propel them to perhaps competing for a playoff or at least play-in spot despite how competitive the Western Conference projects to be this season.

The Spurs currently sit with a record of 1-3, losing their second straight game in Wednesday’s defeat against the Thunder. Wembanyama and Paul have already established a connection early on that is better than any Wembanyama had with any of his teammates from last season, but Spurs fans might want the talented second year player to consider stepping inside the arc a little bit more than he has been thus far this season.

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