Victor Wembanyama’s shot-blocking is already so extreme that Nicolas Batum thinks the usual record-chasing logic may not even apply to him.
Appearing on The Old Man and the Three, Batum recalled a conversation from Wembanyama’s rookie season and said Joel Embiid offered a striking theory about the Spurs star’s long-term future as a rim protector. Batum said:
“Someone told me that when he was a rookie, I think it was Embiid, that he won’t break the all-time record for blocks because people will be too scared to shoot in front of him. That might be true. Yes, he’s gonna block shots for the next few years, but at some point people are going to get so scared to shoot in front of him that he might average just one block a game because these people are too scared.”
It is a remarkable quote because it flips the usual way shot-blocking is discussed. Most great rim protectors are measured by how many attempts they erase. Batum’s story suggests Wembanyama may eventually become so intimidating that the better measure of his dominance will be how many attempts never happen at all. In other words, the ultimate compliment would be statistical invisibility: fewer block chances because opponents no longer think the paint is worth testing.
The idea is not far-fetched when placed next to Wembanyama’s production. He is averaging 3.1 blocks per game this season, and he has been hovering near four per game over smaller stretches as his defensive case has grown louder.
