Gilbert Arenas wants Victor Wembanyama to work with Dirk Nowitzki so the San Antonio Spurs star can slow his offense down and use his size better.
The advice is not about limiting Wembanyama's talent. It is about making his rare tools easier to control, especially when defenses try to speed him up.
Arenas sees a simple model in Nowitzki: stay patient, keep the ball high, and make defenders deal with a shot they cannot reach.
Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Speaking on a recent episode of The Gilbert Arenas Show , the ex-NBA star said Wembanyama should borrow from Nowitzki's slower, cleaner scoring rhythm.
"Slow down. You're in a rush… Go work with Dirk this summer. Dirk understood to keep the ball high. Shot from above his head," Arenas said.
He added, "You couldn't block his shot. Dirk didn't move very fast or very quick. But got by everybody."
That is the heart of Arenas' point. Wembanyama does not need to play smaller or faster just because he can handle the ball like a guard.
At his height, his biggest advantage is already built in. If he catches, stays tall and shoots over defenders, most matchups have no real contest available.
Nowitzki mastered that idea with Dallas, using balance, patience and a high release to turn difficult mid-post possessions into comfortable looks.
Arenas then explained the details he wants Wembanyama to sharpen.
"Understanding pump fakes, triple threats. Triple threats still a thing. It is still very powerful. Anytime you catch the ball mid-post, turn and face first. Keep the ball high," Arenas further stated.
That advice fits Wembanyama's next development step. He already has range, handle, length and defensive dominance, but his offense can become cleaner if he stops rushing into moves.
The triple-threat game would force defenders to guess before he dribbles. A pump fake can turn his high release into free throws, clean drives, or rhythm jumpers.
Nowitzki has also praised Wembanyama's impact, saying the French star is changing the game, which makes the potential mentorship even more natural.
Arenas is not telling Wembanyama to become Nowitzki. He is telling him to steal the parts of Dirk's game that made being tall feel unfair.
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