Generational talent Victor Wembanyama actually is trying to do it all. The 20-year-old marvel is continuing to work with Jamal Crawford, who's considered one of the NBA's best ever ball handlers as well as a three-time Sixth Man of the Year winner. It appears to be another step Wembanyama, who carried loads of expectations before a Rookie of the Year campaign with the San Antonio Spurs announced he was for real.
Crawford joined the Dan Patrick Show to discuss working with Wembanyama this summer. It's a relationship that started when the former top overall draft pick appeared on TNT.
“We go back to earlier this season when we had him on the show,” Crawford said of his first interaction with the Spurs leading scorer.
“He had been doing some crazy moves so I asked him if he could do this particular move and he's like, ‘Yeah, I've been doing that for years.' I'm like, ‘Yeah, OK,'” Crawford continued. “We hooked up at All-Star and I just showed him some freestyle moves and from there our relationship kind of took off.”
Wembanyama qualified for All-Star Weekend courtesy of the Rising Stars Challenge.
“I showed him a wrap around move where he wraps around his body; it's only reserved for tall guards, guys with long arms that could pull this off. I thought he could take it to the next level,” Crawford said. “But, it was funny, when I started showing him, all the other rookies, sophomores on the court – all the attention, they stopped shooting, they went over there. I'm like, ‘Ok, let's just keep this surface level because everybody's watching right now.'”
Victor Wembanyama, Jamal Crawford team up
A recent picture that Wemby posted on his Instagram account showed him working with the man regarded by many as the greatest reserve to ever play. Crawford went on to describe what would help Wembanyama's game going forward.
“They absolutely can,” Crawford answered the host's thoughts about whether San Antonio will add a veteran floor general.
“I can see why it would take a little bit because he's such a unique talent and you can use him in so many different places on the court,” Crawford continued. “You can use him bringing up the ball, you can use him in the mid post area, you can use him in the post area. He can shoot transition threes and he do everything in between so I understand Pop [Gregg Popovich] and those guys' thinking because you just don't know exactly what you have until you have it and, even then, he can stretch the imagination.”
“But, you're right, getting that point guard to grow with him and that fits him will definitely serve him well,” Crawford concluded.
Including the one game he logged for the Brooklyn Nets in 2020, Crawford played in twenty NBA seasons. He suited up for nine teams over a career that averaged at least 17 points per game for the better part of that two decade career. That's tons of knowledge he can share with a young man who's just starting his legacy. Wembanyama appears to be well on his way with every aspect he adds to an already scary combination of size and skill.
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