Victor Wembanyama was not the world-conquering force that most expected in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The San Antonio Spurs star put up decent scoring numbers in a 123-108 loss at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. He led his team with 26 points on an efficient 8/15 shooting clip. But he only had four rebounds and two blocks in the matchup — both below his usual impact on the defensive end.
A common sentiment also emerged among those who watched Game 3 closely. Many felt the contest proved that Wembanyama was nowhere near ready to carry an offense to a title run when the pieces around him aren’t firing on all cylinders.
If we’re being honest, Wemby is still at a stage where he’s wildcard offensively. Especially against a great team. Still a baby bird on offense.
— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) May 23, 2026
Wemby has an Anthony Davis problem.
— 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Klutch_23) May 23, 2026
He's an alpha on defense but a not on offense. He does not ask for the ball enough on that end and is too inconsistent.
It’s like sometimes wemby doesn’t know what to do on offense
— zion 𖤐 (@gasbabii) May 23, 2026
Wemby is not some offensive hub. I have been trying to tell people this for forever. He does not guarantee you will get good shots on basically every possession. He is incredibly good on defense but that’s easier to neutralize than an offensive hub because you can avoid him.
— Stevie Wonder Bread (@undercleavage) May 23, 2026
The Spurs had to run some specific actions in the second half just to get Wembanyama more clear attempts going into the paint. With De’Aaron Fox hobbled by an ankle injury and Stephon Castle shooting 1/8 from the field, San Antonio’s offense sputtered across large stretches of Game 3.
Wembanyama can do some otherworldly things on offense, some of which NBA fans have never seen before. But just like some of the big men throughout the league’s history, he needs to be fed the ball in the right spots to succeed.
Wembanyama can move and shoot like a guard, but he can’t take defenders off the dribble as fluidly as big wings such as Kevin Durant or Paul George. Whether the 22-year-old ever gets to that point or not remains to be seen.
