By admin 
While Victor Wembanyama’s first taste of playoff basketball ended in heartbreak, it did show everyone why he is widely regarded as the next face of the league. The French phenom dazzled throughout the postseason before falling to the New York Knicks in a dramatic Finals series, where many believe he could’ve done more.
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Their defeat, especially in the three games when the Knicks pulled out comebacks, left a bitter taste for Wemby because, although he still showcased his generational talent, there were areas where he could improve under the brightest of lights.
This is why Shaquille O’Neal believes that Wemby is as good as everybody believes he would be, but after the Finals defeat, it is time for him to refine his approach, specifically learning how to lean into his physical gifts by drawing inspiration from some of the greatest centers ever to play the game, including two that also played in San Antonio.
Learning to dominate more in the paint
One of the biggest advantages that Wmeby already has, since he was drafted in 2023, is that he has two of the greatest big men in the sport, Tim Duncan and Duncan Robinson, available at any time. Not to mention that he has also trained with the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon.
“He’s a very unique guy because he has two great ones in his backyard that can give him all the tidbits. And the three guys that he’s training with, he has the ability to play like them all,” Shaq said.
“He can face you up like a Duncan, he can run the floor and be strong like David Robinson, and he can hit you with the shimmies like Hakeem,” he added.
Wemby has shown improvement every season so far, demonstrating how his workout switch, Hakeem and even his other unconventional training methods, such as training with monks last offseason, have made him and his extraordinary talent stand out.
From shooting pull-up logo 3-pointers to running point to going downhill down the basket, Wemby has played unlike any seven-footer the league has ever seen. However, Shaq believes he could do much more by dominating the paint rather than focusing on his perimeter skills.
“He has to do a better job of getting the position he wants. Like, when you’re tall, you guys can get under you, you have to use their body weight against him sometimes and spin off Tai Chi, that’s what I always used to do,” he stated.
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“Yes, the step-back three and all that looks good, but it’s not a high-percentage shot,” O’Neal continued. “If my guy is 7’5 and can shoot, I want him as close as possible taking the high-percentage shot.”
During the Finals, Wemby averaged 26 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. Normal by his standards, but it ultimately wasn’t enough as the Knicks, with their aggressive defenders, stopped him enough to prevent him from dominating like usual and actually made him turn the ball over in clutch situations.
“I think if he could have dominated a little more in the series, one, they wouldn’t have lost that 29-point lead, and I think they could have won the championship,” Shaq shared.
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Turning potential into a ring
Despite the heartbreak, the fortunate thing, albeit scary for the rest of the league, is that Wemby is still 22 years old. His MVP-caliber season last year was just the beginning and if he does follow Shaq’s advice, he may soon become the most unstoppable player ever, both in the paint and outside the perimeter.
Not to mention that the Spurs have also assembled one of the deepest young cores around him alongside established stars. Both Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle have emerged as legitimate options on both ends, while De’Aaron Fox and newly acquired Tobias Harris can further help the team and Wemby get to the mountaintop.
And possibly the most important thing is that Wembanyama is playing for the Spurs organization, which emphasizes development and structure above all else. The Finals loss may have been a disappointment, but it may become fuel for the French superstar to elevate his game to its final evolution and finally take the crown everyone had been crowning him with since the beginning.
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This story was originally published August 2, 2026 at 11:01 PM.