Gilbert Arenas, a former NBA player, expressed his admiration for Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyma‘s combination this season. Under the experienced point guard’s tutelage, the San Antonio Spurs rookie could be able to reach his full potential, Arenas said.
Paul signed a one-year, $11 million contract with the Spurs, making him one of their biggest summer acquisitions. The point guard, who is 39 years old, provides the team with the much-needed leadership and encouragement that any veteran can provide.
The excellent effect Paul has had on the young Spurs team, particularly on Wembanyama, is evident to the fans. Arenas believes having CP3 on the team is important to the young big man’s growth.
“I thin k CP brings in stability, vet, professionalism, structure,” Arenas said. “He got a stern fist, he demands greatness. He demands everybody to be on pace. Learning from a guy like that early does help in the long run. We might not see the real effect today, it might kick in next year, the following year.”
“There’s nobody built to guard you down there, you can re-write the game.”
Gil believes Wemby can unlock his full potential with CP3 by his side. pic.twitter.com/7jxdvXdOzE
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) December 7, 2024
Arenas and his co-host and old teammate, Nick Young, have acknowledged Wemby’s assertiveness this season. They’ve noticed the French basketball star isn’t settling for long-range shots and is using his physical attributes to his advantage.
“Somebody has to sit down with him with film and just show, this first two years, you can really dominate because the game is not meant for you yet,” Arenas continued. “It’s one of those things where, you’re a loophole here — trying to fit in. This is like Shaquille O’Neal being dropped in today and then he going [to] sit out there and chuck threes. Nah, there’s nobody built to guard you down there, you can rewrite the game.”
Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama are among the league leaders in one offensive stat
The signing of Paul has helped the team find easier ways to score, especially with Victor Wembanyama on the floor. Surprisingly, the duo of the Spurs’ point guard and center rank fifth in the top tier of alley-oop partners, with 10.
Top Alley-Oop Partners:
T1. Cade —> Duren, 15
T1. Harden —> DJJ, 15
3. Trae —> Capela, 13
4. LeBron —> AD, 12
5. CP3 —> Wemby, 10
T6. Trae —> Okongwu, 9
T6. Jalen Johnson —> Capela, 9
T8. Trae —> Jalen Johnson, 8
T8. Morant —> Aldama, 8
T8. Draymond —> TDJ, 8 pic.twitter.com/3WR9WdED50— NBA University (@NBA_University) December 4, 2024
This season, Paul, who averages 8.5 assists, has provided Victor Wembanyama with the majority of passes. In addition, he is shooting 43.3% from the field while dishing out 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds. Victor Wembanyama’s stats have also improved under the seasoned point guard, averaging 23.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
The Spurs duo has brought excitement to the team in the 2024-25 NBA season as they further improve their on-court chemistry.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
