Can Victor Wembanyama Emulate Tim Duncan’s Rookie Season Despite Being In A Deep Hole?

Victor Wembanyama is often compared with NBA legend Tim Duncan for various reasons. Wembanyama entered the league with major hype and is excelling individually. However, he is struggling to lead the San Antonio Spurs to wins. Currently, the Spurs are on a 14-game losing streak, their second-worst ever. Their worst losing streak of 16 games came last year which helped them get the #1 pick. Similarly, the team had a very poor season before Duncan joined.

However, they cruised during Duncan’s rookie season and had no problem making the playoffs. Can Wembanyama emulate the Hall of Famer’s first year despite the team’s current troubles?

Tim Duncan’s rookie season

In the 1996-97 season, the Spurs were one of the worst teams in the league with a 20-62 record. Notably, they had three 6-game losing streaks and one 7-game skid. David Robinson only played 6 games that season because of injury which led to their dismal performances. However, this also helped the Spurs get the #1 pick, and they drafted Tim Duncan. In the next year, Duncan’s addition along with Robinson’s return gave them a major boost.

The top pick hit the ground running as everyone expected. With him on the side, the Spurs looked unstoppable at times. A stark contrast to how they looked the previous year. Duncan averaged 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game and made the All-Star team as a rookie. Only two more rookies have done that ever since.

Also, Robinson came back stronger and averaged 21.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. Behind both their star players’ dominant performances, the Spurs finished the season with a much improved 56-26 record. They were consistent throughout the season with multiple winning streaks and clinched the 5th seed in the Western Conference.

In the postseason, the Spurs comfortably won the first round against the Phoenix Suns. However, they were eliminated in the second. Even though they did not have a deep playoff run, the team’s improvement from the previous season was noticeable. And Duncan played a huge role in it.

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs’ troubles

The Spurs were one of the two worst teams in the Western Conference last year alongside the Houston Rockets who were also 22-60. The Spurs looked lost the whole season on both ends of the court which contributed to their worst losing streak ever with 16 games. However, that was not it. They also had another 11-game skid. Fortunately, all the losing led them to get Victor Wembanyama in the draft. Many expected the Frenchman to take over the league and turn the Spurs’ sinking ship around. While he has certainly displayed his impressive skill set, the team is still struggling massively.

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Wembanyama started his life in the NBA with a loss against the Dallas Mavericks despite his brilliant debut. Two days later, the 19-year-old tasted his first win in the league against the Rockets. He had 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks that game. Ever since, he has continued his good run and is currently averaging 19.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, and 2.6 assists per game in 18 games.

In his first 18 games, Duncan averaged 15.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, and 1.9 assists per game. Notably, the Spurs won 10 and lost 8 of those games. While it was not the greatest of starts, the team still finished the season strong. On the other hand, they now have a record of 3-16, including the 19th game Victor missed. Also, the most concerning part is the losing streak. After two straight wins in early November, the team has now lost 14 straight. Three more straight losses will make it their worst losing streak ever.

Not many Spurs fans would have anticipated something like that after landing the towering center. Sadly, it is worse than the previous season when they won 6 games in their first 19. However, they lost the next five games.

Can Victor Wembanyama lead the team to the playoffs?

The Spurs have their work cut out for them. Despite showing improvement in the last game, their woeful record has not changed. In their next game, they will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves who are hitting on all cylinders with the best record in the NBA. So, the possibility of the Spurs’ losing streak extending is huge. Wembanyama recently confirmed that he will be back against the Timberwolves. Even though it would be a major boost for the team, that might not be enough.

When looking back at Tim Duncan’s rookie year, it is clear that the team had some experienced veterans in their starting lineup. They had the likes of Avery Johnson (32), Vinny Del Negro (31), and Sean Elliott contributing. Furthermore, they also had a future Hall of Famer and former MVP David Robinson. Their experience came in handy and they were a huge support to young Duncan. However, the same cannot be said about the current team and Victor.

The two best players for the team are Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson who are 19 and 24, respectively. Devin Vassell who has recently come to the fore starting 8 games and averaging 18 points is 23 years old. They have a very young starting lineup with their oldest being Zach Collins who is 26. Their two oldest players are Doug McDermott at 32 and Cedi Osman at 28. Even though three players are averaging over 15 points per game, it is clear the Spurs need more support. Especially in the form of veterans.

On the other hand, the team could be patient and allow their young core to develop together which could be huge for the future. This looks like the possible route for the franchise. At least for this season. With one of the worst records in the league, the Spurs could be in for the lottery once again. Notably, ESPN’s recent mock draft predicted college sensation Isaiah Collier going to San Antonio. There are already talks about a possible “tanking” as well.

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Even though it is too early to predict, it looks unlikely for Wembayama to emulate Duncan’s team success in his rookie year. However, it is not his fault as the young team is still in a learning phase. But very few expected the team to be this poor. With how things have turned out so far, unless something major changes, the Spurs are not making the playoffs this season.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.