Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images

The San Antonio Spurs have been one of the best surprises of the 2025-26 season. Most of their success is attributed to Victor Wembanyama’s rise to superstardom at the start of the year. He has faced criticism about his play style, but his team wants him to be himself.

To start the 2025-26 season, Victor Wembanyama has been arguably the NBA’s most impressive player. Before he was even drafted in the 2023 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs, many basketball fans were already excited about the prospects of Wembanyama becoming the league’s best player.

This season, Wembanyama looks intent on becoming one of the league’s top superstars. He is performing well on both ends of the floor as a dominant force. Wembanyama can do almost anything on the court, which has led to some people discussing his unique play style.

Some people are critical of him shooting too many threes as the league’s tallest player, while some lament that he is minimizing his potential by staying in the paint all the time. He cannot please everyone, so his coach, Mitch Johnson, wants the Frenchman to focus on himself.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Johnson encourages Wembanyama’s individuality

The NBA has seen many play styles become more prevalent. Bigger point guards have become the norm as of late, with players like Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becoming the league’s best playmakers.

The same can be said of the rise of three-point shooting and “accidental basketball” over the past decade, spearheaded by Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. It is rare for some players to have a unique play style these days, but Wembanyama is one of the most distinctive stars in NBA history.

At 7’5″, Wembanyama is the league’s tallest player. Most people would think that he camps in the paint, waiting for post-ups on offense and blocking shots on defense. That is not the case for Wembanyama because he is a mobile big man who can also put the ball down on the floor and get into his bag like a guard.

Many critics point out holes in his game, especially when he veers towards one archetype more than the other, like shooting too many jump shots. That is not a worry for Johnson and his coaching staff. He wants his superstar center to keep playing as he sees fit.

“I thought the threes looked good, I thought they were decisive, I thought they were in rhythm. A lot of them would go on, a lot of them would go out. I hope he continues to shoot… I think that it’s just a balancing act,” Johnson said after the Spurs’ win on Saturday.

“He shoots threes, and everybody wants to get him close to the rim, gets closer, and everybody wants to know why he’s not shooting threes. He just needs to continue to let the game unfold and let the game call for what he can do, because he can do so much.”

Wembanyama will dominate in his unique way

As one of the most distinct superstars in NBA history, Wembanyama will continue to fight for himself. He should not be confined to one role, as it would detract from his unique profile.

He is a 7’5″ behemoth who can also mix it up with his dribbling and shot-making. Wembanyama has continued to learn from some of the best in the business, so he is well-prepared to keep going.

Johnson, Gregg Popovich, and the rest of the Spurs organization want to maximize their superstar’s talents. He should not be restricted to being a pure center because that is not what he is. Wembanyama is the player to build around, and he should get more encouragement from people who want him to excel.

Thankfully for Spurs fans, they have a great organization that is committed to winning. If they create a specific profile for Wembanyama, it won’t allow him to reach his full potential as a star player. As long as he can express himself through his play style, anything is possible for the Spurs.