An in-depth look at Victor Wimpanyama’s unprecedented three-point shooting this season
During the third quarter of the San Antonio Spurs’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this week, Victor Wimpanyama made his nightly attempt to break the internet. But unlike most of his previous attempts that came at the rim on both sides of the ball, this was a non-dribble 3-pointer.
After being handed the ball from Jeremy Sochan, Wimpanyama went to work on the wing. He went between the legs for a combination of between-the-legs and behind-the-back shots, then between the legs a few more times before feigning a drive to the right and stepping back for a fadeaway triple. Finally, he dribbled eight times before shooting the ball.
This would have been an impressive sequence for anyone, but it was downright impressive for a 7-foot-4 rookie. He was also an example of one of the more surprising trends of Wembanyama’s debut campaign: He is an excellent three-point shooter off the dribble. Note: All statistics are as of March 1.
Upon joining the league, one of Wembanyama’s obvious weaknesses was outside shooting. He had free fire in France, and although his highlights were impressive, he shot just 27.5% on five attempts per game for the 92 Mets last season. In the 2021-22 season, he averaged 26.0% on 3.1 attempts per game for ASVEL.
These issues continued early in his NBA career, as he shot 26 of 96 between October and November. But since then, he has become a somewhat credible threat from the outside. 63-176 year olds moved from downtown over the past three months by a respectable 35.8%. Among Spurs regulars, only Cedi Ousmane (37.0) and Devin Va*sell (36.3) have been better during that period.
The most notable aspect of his improvement is that most of his success has come through pull-3s. Here’s a look at his splits from different points in the season:
Full season |
44 of 163 |
27.0% |
43 of 104 |
41.3% |
Since December 1st |
29 out of 99 |
29.3% |
33 of 74 |
44.6% |
Last 20 matches |
16 of 54 |
29.6% |
23 of 48 |
47.9% |
As you can see, his catch-and-shoot numbers have stayed relatively the same, while he’s continually improving his rebounding. If you break things down further, Wimbanyama probably makes one or two dribbles, which is clearly evident in the film.
Here are his numbers from the last 20 matches, by number of dribbles:
1 evasion |
15 |
30 |
50.0% |
2 quirks |
4 |
5 |
80.0% |
3-6 dribbles |
2 |
10 |
20.0% |
7+ quirks |
2 |
3 |
66.7% |
Perhaps the most notable example of Wimpanyama’s one-dribble shot came on January 2 against the Memphis Grizzlies, when he received a pa*s from Justin Champagnie near midcourt and pulled one of his legs for a 30-foot runner. The ball swung around the rim and backboard before falling through the net.
“It’s actually easier to shoot three-point shots that way I think,” Wembanyama told JJ Redick during an appearance on his podcast last year. “You use momentum so you don’t have to use any force, and you can really focus on the goal.
“Two years ago, I was training with my coach Tim Martin [taking one-legged 3s]I was doing it on repeat and he was laughing because it was funny to see someone doing this. But it feels natural to me, and as a non-evasive move, I think it’s a great move. This is surprising for the defender. You don’t really have a pool, just go straight up. It’s surprising for a defender. “Even for normal-sized players, you can’t defend that.”
Although Wimbanyama does not usually shoot with one leg, he is clearly more comfortable shooting while dribbling than holding the ball. So much so, in fact, that he is one of the most efficient pitchers in the league.
Out of 56 players who have made at least 100 dribbles 3 times this season, Wimpanyama’s mark of 41.3% is tied for fifth place with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Only Duncan Robinson, Mike Conley, Jamal Murray and CJ McCollum have made a higher percentage of their attempts.
Even if you admit that Wimbanyama’s size isn’t up to par with the league leaders in pull-ups, here’s how he compares to some stars who have a similar amount of shots.
As you will notice, he is compared to goalkeepers and strikers in all of these stats. That’s because his fellow big men aren’t even in the same stratosphere. Only seven other seven-footers have attempted at least 10 pull-up 3s this season. They came together to make 49; Wembanyama has made 43 himself. Just look at the inconsistencies here in terms of attempts and efficiency.
The tracking data on the NBA statistics website goes back to the 2013-14 season. At the time, no other seven-footer had attempted 100 pull-ups in a season, and there had only been seven instances of a seven-footer making 50 or more pull-ups in a season. Of those, Brook Lopez (25 of 58, 43.1%) in 2019 is the only one to score 40% or better.
However, what Wembanyama does as a non-dribble three-point shooter is something special, which is another reason why this is one of the best rookie seasons we’ve ever seen.
“He’s not afraid to put himself out there,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after Wembanyama shot 5 of 7 from 3-point range en route to 28 points in a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. “He’ll take shots. He’s not worried about if he misses them or what the consequences are or anything like that. He loves those moments.”
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