Spurs' Victor Wembanyama predicted to win MVP due to one huge change

Victor Wembanyama exemplifies the modern big man, favoring perimeter play over inside dominance.

In his sophomore season, the San Antonio Spurs star attempted only 1.7 field goals in the paint, ranking 21st in post-ups. He attempted fewer shots in the restricted area than significantly smaller players such as Jaylen Brown, DeMar DeRozan and Pascal Siakam, while ranking 13th in three-point attempts, finishing higher than guards such as Trae Young, James Harden and Tyrese Haliburton. 

Wembanyama's shot chart through his first two seasons screamed "guard in a big's body," but all that is about to change in his third year. 

Victor Wembanyama is living in the paint

Through four preseason games, Wemby leads the NBA in individual post-ups with 13, per Synergy tracking data, signaling a significant shift in his offensive repertoire. Furthermore, he is attempting only 4.4 threes per 36 minutes, a considerable drop off from 9.5 last season.

In other words, Wembanyama is finally playing like the giant he is rather than a guard masquerading as a big man.

Why Victor Wembanyama will win NBA MVP

Yahoo Sports' Tom Haberstroh is convinced that Wembanyama's fresh approach to scoring will elevate his game to a new level, potentially leading to his winning the MVP award.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that he's playing in the paint more," Haberstroh said on the "Big Number" podcast. "He went to school with Hakeem [Olajuwon] and learned the Dream Shake [Olajuwon's patented post move] in like three seconds, and he's taking fewer three-pointers."

As Haberstroh noted, Wemby spent his summer working out with Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the greatest post players in NBA history. According to Olajuwon, Wemby was keen to learn "the secrets" behind his post moves and was very receptive to the advice he received. Olajwon told ESPN that he encouraged the 21-year-old to use the jump hook and drop step more, as doing so would give him a distinct advantage over smaller defenders. 

If Wembanyama truly turns into a dominant post player, the league is in trouble, especially given his ability to score at all three levels.