Sport
‘Wemby’: How the NBA is being altered before our eyes
Some say all good things come in threes, yet for Victor Wembanyama they come in fives, as he became the youngest player ever to log a ‘5×5’ statline in the NBA on Saturday night. The 20 year old recorded 27 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists, alongside 5 steals and blocks apiece. Achieving this feat alone is remarkable; only 15 players have ever notched such a performance – it just reinforces the overwhelming voices that have lauded the Frenchman as the most exciting NBA prospect since LeBron James. Usually it’s the newcomer given the baptism of fire, yet thus far, the world is being shown that it’s Victor’s world, and we’re mere spectators.
‘Wemby’ stands at a freakish height of 7 foot 4 inches. Seven. Foot. Four. It’s the sort of characteristic you apply to your alter-ego basketball player on a video game, to make them as dominant as possible. I mean, just under twenty three Victor Wembanyamas with outstretched arms would reach the length of a football pitch. Yet not only is he very much a reality, but Victor’s qualities go far beyond his height. He’s a never-before-seen archetype of a player with devastating talent, hence why so many predict this basketballing prophet to tyrannise the association over the years to come.
Elite rebounding IQ, a slick handle, a first-class pull-up jumpshot, and an overwhelming presence under the rim – Victor’s got a deep bag of tricks. He’s magic. LeBron James noted the influence of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on player development and how that promises to aid the 2023 number 1 pick to become “better, better, and better”. Popovich has a history of nurturing the young talent of the league’s development into superstars; take David Robinson and Tim Duncan for example. It can only benefit the Frenchman to have an encyclopaedic basketball mind shepherding his every move.
“That kid is SPECIAL!!”
Lebron james (@kingjames via x)
Victor got drafted to San Antonio in the past summer, the Spurs reaping the rewards of their lacklustre 2022-23 campaign. Their star rookie immediately brings noteworthy impact onto the court for his team – the Spurs’ defensive rating with Wembanyama on the floor is 118, yet it balloons to 127 when he takes to the bench. That means the the Texas outfit would theoretically allow 9 points fewer, if Wembanyama were to play the entire game. Many stat junkies hone in on Victor’s lack of average efficiency on scoring the ball, yet turn a blind eye to reality. Only three players have ever averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in their rookie year. Make that four.
So far, it kind of just sounds like a description of an above average basketballing talent, whose abilities are inflated due to the lack of ‘talent’ around him. So what? The ‘what’, in this case, is that he remains just 20. I mean, he still can’t legally purchase alcohol in the USA! Basketball players tend to naturally peak between 27 and 30, and many, such as the aforementioned James, remain in or around that level as late as 39 years old. Wembanyama is looking at a two decade career in the NBA, with potentially one of those in his sporting prime. He is already performing at such a level that he could be playing for a championship ring in one or two years – if he were to follow the trend of European superstars remaining one-franchise-players, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, and Nikola Jokic – Victor could initiate a commanding dynasty in San Antonio, and this is the problem.
Parity is crucial for every sport in the world; complete domination is generally frowned upon. If his rise can sustain this momentum over the next few years, the idea of parity would certainly be unlikely. Whilst the competitive future of the NBA seems bleak, the French freak of nature is unquestionably a fun watch on the court; even for a non-basketball fan. He’ll make your jaw drop, and your measuring tape come out of the kitchen drawer. Everyone expected him to be good. Perhaps not quite this good, however. And this is the ‘worst’ that he’ll ever be.
Liphook United boss Carl Harris understands how much pressure is on his side as they are one win away from winning the Hampshire Premier League after their 3-1 victory on Tuesday night against Moneyfields Reserves.
Moneys took an early lead through former Portsmouth midfielder Stan Bridgman but Ryan Angear, Marco Sellitto and Marcus Bedford were on target for the Blues to gain all three points in East Hampshire.
Victory for Liphook saw them pick up their 11th win from losing positions this season, which saw Harris praised his squad’s character after Tuesday’s comeback.
He told Winol: “It’s always going to be tough game [against Moneyfields Reserves], they are playing to stay in the league and had a few first team players playing for them – Stan Bridgman and Elliott Turnbull.
“The last few weeks people have been saying we should win the league and now it’s just us to close it out.”
‘We are a second-half team’
Harris told Winol: “People have been saying – ‘how are Liphook going to win the league, they are not that good.’ I agree with people saying ‘we’re a second-half team’ and it’s nothing to do with other than character.
“The character of my team is the best I know, that is the 11th time this season we have come back from behind and won. That’s character so when we look like we’re down and out, we’re not.
“People can say whatever they like, it’s just one more now.”
One more win
Saturday afternoon could see Liphook become winners of the Hampshire Premier League for the first time since 2012.
A win on Saturday against rock bottom Fleet Spurs will see the Blues win the league with four games to spare.
Fleet have only two league wins all season, Liphook will certainly go into the game as favorites.
The two sides met earlier this month as the Blues took home all three points at Kennels Lane.
“It’s the day we wanted,” said Harris. “At home [on a Saturday], our Reserves are playing before us – the whole club will be here, and that is something no one can take away from us.
“It will be tough [against Fleet Spurs], only won 3-2 against a good side. Every game is tight, and we will probably make hard work of it but I don’t care as long as we get our day.”
The Royal Navy FA have booked their place in the Portsmouth Senior Cup final after last night’s 2-0 victory over Petersfield Town.
The Rams came into the tie with a much stronger side with the returning Tommy Tierney, former Portsmouth midfielder Charlie Bell and captain Liam Kimber making the starting 11 after being rested on Monday night.
Petersfield controlled the early stages of the game but the RN were able to create some chances. Skipper Danny Kerr had his effort palmed away by youngster Harvey Greenfield, before Elliot Holmes’ strike was comfortable caught by the Rams keeper.
The RN continued to break on the counter, looking to attack down the flanks, but had no luck with Petersfield’s dominant display and they failed to really test Dane Rigby. Tyler Giddings’ effort was blasted over as Jake Thomson has his low drive blocked.
Tierney’s strike was pushed away for a corner by Rigby as Kimber tried his luck from range just before the break.
HT: Petersfield Town 0-0 Royal Navy FA
Just seconds into the restart Petersfield came extremely close to taking the lead with Kimber’s strike just going wide of the post.
Cam Quirke had two opportunities on goal, which were comfortable caught by Greenfield.
Two quick chances for the Rams saw Giddings’ header snatched by Rigby as Charlie Merritt drilled his effort wide.
Kerr and Holmes combined just outside the box, which allowed substitute Sanchez Jansz-Baker to volley his effort over the bar.
However shortly afterwards Jansz-Baker found the bottom left corner to put the RN ahead with 20 minutes remaining.
Tierney had another opportunity, this time to make it level, but he curled his effort from outside the box wide.
Petersfield believed they should of been awarded a penalty when Callum Knoll was bought down by Jim Cox, the referee waved play on.
The Rams controlled the later stages of the game. Alex Hulme’s strike was blocked by Rigby as Bell managed to pick out Thomson late on but his header was cleared away.
In the third minute of added time Petersfield’s last attack of game saw Bell square it across the face of goal but Shawn Benjamin managed hook it clear.
This allowed another attack for the RN, which saw Sean Powell net in the late on to secure their spot in final of Portsmouth Senior Cup
FT: Petersfield Town 0-2 Royal Navy FA
Gosport Borough or Portsmouth U21s will lock horns with the RN at the PMC Stadium next month.
Connor Hoare told Winol: “We could have been 2-0 up before their first goal. Liam [Kimber], Charlie [Merritt] and Tommo [Jake Thomson] had chances, and we make a mistake, 1-0.
“We just said to the lads [after the game], it’s a bit of our story of the season – on top of games, but all of a sudden they are taking their opportunities. The amount of times this season, whether that be at half-time or at the end of the game, we’ve gone ‘how have we not won that game?’ It has been relentless the amount of times we’ve said that, and today was another case of it.”
What has gone wrong?
The Rams have been missing a lot of key players due to injury in recent weeks. Keeper Ellis Grant, Ollie Davis, Cam Smith and Chad Cornwell have all been sidelined.
Archie Greenough and Dec Seiden, who finished off as the club’s top goalscorer despite leaving in early February, both left Petersfield during the season.
Seiden’s 15 goals for Hoare’s side earned him a move back to Moneyfields, who scored a further five times for the Wessex Premier League champions.
Hoare has expressed how the club’s struggled since Seiden’s departure, and has hinted where the Rams will be looking to strength next season: “Losing Dec was massive for us, he had a lot of goal contributions, it was actually quite difficult [the transition from losing him] – we prepare a way of playing around him.
“You take him out, you take all your goals out.
“The last few months [since Dec left] we’ve been playing Liam Kimber, who is a midfielder, as a striker – because we’ve no one else. Ollie Davis was our biggest goal threat all season, he suffered a four month injury. We know we need a striker, winger and a really experienced centre-back [when we go into recruitment in the summer].
“We’re looking for more experience, we’ll come back as a better team, next year”
Petersfield Town will be aiming to book their place in the final of the Portsmouth Senior Cup for the first time in seven years when they welcome the Royal Navy FA on Thursday Night, following a disappointing 5-1 defeat against Fareham Town on Monday night.
National South side Havant & Waterlooville’s withdrawal from the competition, a few days after their relegation was confirmed, saw the Rams progress to the final four.
From being one of the favourites to being relegated, to avoiding the relegation battle completely, Connor Hoare’s debut season as Petersfield manager, a chance of silverware would be icing on the cake.
Whereas the RN have swept aside Hampshire Premier League sides Denmead and Paulsgrove.
But Hoare has concerned ahead of the semi-final tie – saying the game is ‘one of the most difficult games to prepare for,’ when speaking to Winol before last Saturday’s draw against Cowes Sports.
Hoare said: “I think it is probably one of the most difficult games to prepare for, to be honest. You don’t know anything about them – you don’t know the players, you have no footage – you always must go into the game just worrying about yourself.
“The results clearly speak for themselves, they’re [Royal Navy FA] are a good side. They’re obviously fit because they’re in the navy, and that is all you can predicted. With that knowledge, we are going to have to run as much as they are going to run.
“We know they are more coached than they’re – we can use that to our advantage”
Briefing on Monday’s game:
A heavily rotated Petersfield Town suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat against Fareham Town on Monday night which even saw both Rams managers Hoare and Callum Glen on the pitch, rather than the dugout.
Jamie Truckell netted a first-half hat-trick as Jamie Hosking scored two free-kicks for the Creeksiders.
Jo Houldsworth scored a late consolation for Petersfield.
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