Subscribe
Follow Us
Victor Wembanyama is special. Draymond Green acknowledges and sees that. However, the Golden State Warriors vet warns the San Antonio Spurs rookie that he knows how to stop him.
During his appearance on the Podcast P with Paul George presented by Wave Sports & Entertainment, Green was asked how he would guard Wembanyama considering the youngster's size and mobility. In response, the Warriors star noted that the most important thing is to not let Wemby get comfortable.
Green also issued some sort of a warning to the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, adding that he is “not just dribbling through me like the Harlem Globetrotters.”
“Don't get me wrong he's a phenom and one of the best things to happen to him was going to San Antonio and coach Pop. That infrastructure is gonna teach you how to be a pro … and their player development is unmatched so I think that’s huge for him,” Green shared.
“But some of the stuff is just, I mean come on bro. Again special talent and to even do some of the stuff at that size take a special talent but you gotta press into him. You can't let him get comfortable. You let him get comfortable you lose, because you can't block his shot. He may not even see your contest. So with a guy like that you gotta do your work early. I‘m crowding him from the time he starts running down the court. When they get the rebound and they start coming I'm crowding because I can't let him get to a space where he's comfortable. If you do that against talents like that…aint nothing you can do to stop that. So for me I’m all the way pressed up into him.”
Draymond Green, nonetheless, emphasized that Victor Wembanyama has what it takes to be an incredible talent in the NBA. He pointed out how the 19-year-old's defensive potential separates him from the other rookies in his class.
According to Green, even if Wembanyama struggles adjusting to the NBA and everything else fails, he can still be an elite talent in the league as a rim protector. Green shared that Wemby's floor is having a similar role like Rudy Gobert
“Separate from anything else that he can do, him as a rim protector. That is what I think most people aren't talking about and I actually think is what separates him. If he gets to the league and because he's 7'5″ he can't handle it as much as he wants or because the 3-point line is further [and] his shot isn't as good, if all else fails, him as a rim protector is as elite as we have in the NBA. So you already have one thing that already puts you in an elite category and that is a rim protector, and as we all know teams are looking for rim protectors. I mean there's someone in the NBA getting paid as a rim protector probably making more money than you P which is a lot of money,” Green added.
Regardless of what happens and how Wemby pans out, though, Draymond Green isn't letting the big man have his way whenever they fight. It will surely be interesting to see if Green can do what he said he's going to do against Wembanyama when the Warriors and Spurs meet in 2023-24.
