Scott Wachter-Imagn Images The future is now according to a couple of well respected sporting minds. Two of the top basketball content creators on YouTube, Thinking Basketball and JxmyHighroller, recently released mandatory homework for all Spurs fans, with both finding that Victor Wembanyama’s development is going much faster than anticipated. First, Thinking Basketball highlighted how Wemby is already a super weapon. His scoring in December was five percent better than the league average, according to the box score model that weighs true shooting percentage and points per 75 possessions. Notably, of his 242 attempts, 36 percent were from 25-29 feet away from the rim, and he made 36.4 percent of those shots. Aside from getting buckets at a high clip, his passing is A-list as he can make connections with either hand. As noted in the video, his shot-pass is tough to stop because it freezes defenders momentarily and allows a cutter to get deeper position. Another one of his signature dimes that Thinking Basketball covers well is the one-handed bounce pass. On defense, Wemby’s length is the great equalizer that makes strong finishers fold. The clips shown spotlight how much of a mobile piece of TNT he’s become as he also forces many pass outs, and the potency difference is staggering whenever he sits or checks back in. They concluded by saying Wembanyama is a top-10 player and an “offensive star, who is also a defensive superstar.” Considering how he has lit up the league in year two, it’s not a stretch. Next is JxmyHighroller’s video, which begins with a historical refresher on Shaquille O’Neal’s one and only 3-pointer on Feb. 16, 1996, and how Arvydas Sabonis was a pioneer for big men with long-range shooting. Sabonis made 39 treys on 37.5 percent accuracy in 1995-96. Fast forward to 2024-25 and the 3-point shot had gone from barely used tool to indispensable asset for bigs, as Wembanyama is on pace to make 243 triples. Lauri Markkanen recently set the standard with 200 in 2022-23. A fine comparison was made between the public’s skepticism about Wembanyama’s 3-point shooting and the attitude towards Dirk Nowitzki’s play style early in his career. Nowitzki’s insistence on taking outside jumpers turned out to be a wise decision and helped change the game. Wembanyama’s emphasis on deep shooting will continue to build on the work of guys like Nowitzki, Cliff Robinson and Chris Bosh because more big men who turn pro will be inspired to try bold things. JxmyHighroller wrapped up with, “Any attempt to define Wemby’s game or compare him to another player, past or present, will leave you empty-handed… if you didn’t like the 3-point revolution, then you aren’t going to like what this guy ends up doing.” Both videos are excellent and insightful watches, to be sure to check them out when have 30 minutes. . —-