Is Spurs' Victor Wembanyama Already a 'Game-Changing' Defender?

With an NBA-ready frame and excellent basketball instincts, is Spurs' Victor Wembanyama already an elite defender?

Standing at 7-4, French prospect Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs brings a plethora of skills to a young, rebuilding Spurs squad. With an eight-foot wingspan to boot, Wembanyama is almost a given to be a defensive juggernaut in San Antonio.

"Wembanyama looks like he'll at least be a game-changing defender right out of the gate," Bleacher Report writes. "And if he lives up to 75-80 percent of the hype on the other end, he's probably an All-NBA player."

In his only two Las Vegas Summer League games this summer Wembanyama racked up eight blocks, averaging a stellar 4.0 blocks in his minuscule 54 minutes played in his time there. Additionally, the big man averaged a stout 3.0 blocks for Metropolitans 92 in his MVP season in the LNB Pro A, displaying his defensive prowess on two different professional stages.

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama at Las Vegas Summer League / © Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

The Frenchman has already shown his athleticism on both sides of the ball, but it will be a learning curve for Wembanyama to adjust to the strength and physicality of the NBA, which could lead to him getting shoved around a bit on the inside by bigger and stronger bigs that have more experience scoring inside. Bulking up and adding more wight to his 210-pound frame could remedy that problem within the next few seasons.

Head coach Gregg Popovich and his staff have a history of coaching players that need to change their size. Tim Duncan lost 30 pounds over his NBA career, starting at 265 pounds and slimming down to around 235 in 2012. At the size he is at, Wembanyama could benefit from weighing in closer to that 235-pound range.

Even with a wight disadvantage inside, Wembanyama has the size and wingspan to affect shots on all levels of defense right out of the gate. His basketball IQ and athleticism factor into what will be a problem for opposing offenses.