Victor Wembanyama says he may be overthinking after Spurs’ opening loss to Thunder
The San Antonio star missed his first 12 shots in a 116-104 defeat but still finished with 13 rebounds and six blocks.
Victor Wembanyama said he may be overthinking his play after shooting 1-for-13 in the San Antonio Spurs’ 116-104 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 20, their opening game of the NBA season. He said he had been hesitant and needed to return to playing the basketball he enjoys.
Wembanyama missed his first 12 field-goal attempts and all four of his three-point attempts. He finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, six blocks and a steal in 34 minutes. RotoWire reported that his only made field goal was an alley-oop from De’Aaron Fox as the third quarter ended; he made 10 of 12 free throws.
What Wembanyama said after the Thunder loss
“I need to go back to playing the basketball I like. This is not the sport I like, right here,” Wembanyama said after the game, according to NBC Sports. He said he had no reason to be hesitant or to stop being himself: “I’m good when I have fun.”
He said he had missed shots he usually makes, then stopped taking those shots and was not decisive. “I might be overthinking it,” he said. “What I have to do is really let go. I don’t need to do more. I need to think less, probably.” His account described how he felt during the game; he did not identify a definitive cause for his shooting performance.
How Oklahoma City defended San Antonio’s guards
CBS Sports reported that the Thunder sagged off Spurs guards Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper and clogged the paint. Fox, who made six of nine shots, was the only San Antonio starter to shoot better than 50 percent from the field. That defensive approach put pressure on the Spurs’ guards to create space while Wembanyama struggled to convert his chances inside and out.
Asked whether the spacing in lineups featuring Fox, Castle and Harper had affected his play, Wembanyama said the Spurs had not played well enough to judge it. His answer left the lineup question open after one game, even as he pointed to his own hesitation as something he wanted to address.
Despite his shooting night, Wembanyama led San Antonio in rebounds and blocks, according to RotoWire. The Spurs are scheduled to face Houston in Austin on Friday, giving him and the three-guard lineup another game in which to respond to the opener.
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Sources and context
- Victor Wembanyama on opening night struggles vs. Thunder: “I might be overthinking it”NBC Sports, republished by Yahoo Sports; by Kurt Helin
- Victor Wembanyama on his dismal opening night performance vs. OKC: 'This is not the sport I like right here'CBS Sports
- Victor Wembanyama News: Struggles with shot in lossRotoWire
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.