--- title: "Victor Wembanyama is playing off the ball for the Spurs, and the Mavericks are next" description: "The Spurs tried Wembanyama as a creator from the top of the 3-point line in the preseason, and his season has taken a different shape." url: https://sports.skoop.news/spurs-still-haven-t-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyama-s-playm--11-04/ published: 2026-11-05T07:59:02.139117-05:00 modified: 2026-11-05T07:59:02.139125-05:00 section: "Sports" publisher: "skoop.news" language: en keywords: ["victor wembanyama", "Frost Bank Center", "De'Aaron Fox", "Defensive Player", "Dylan Harper", "Mitch Johnson", "Stephon Castle", "Spurs", "Jazz", "Mavericks"] hashtags: ["#FrostBankCenter", "#DeAaronFox", "#DefensivePlayer", "#sports", "#sportshighlights"] image: https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Olympic_Stadium_Munich_-_Rows_of_Seats%2C_April_2019_-04.jpg/1280px-Olympic_Stadium_Munich_-_Rows_of_Seats%2C_April_2019_-04.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail --- # Victor Wembanyama is playing off the ball for the Spurs, and the Mavericks are next > The Spurs tried Wembanyama as a creator from the top of the 3-point line in the preseason, and his season has taken a different shape. Published 2026-11-05 · Updated 2026-11-05 · Sports, [skoop.news](https://skoop.news/) ## In brief - During the preseason, the Spurs experimented with having Victor Wembanyama create more from the top of the 3-point line. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) - Wembanyama is bringing the ball up the floor less and posting up less, while taking more threes and rolling to the basket more consistently. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) - Coach Mitch Johnson may have opted away from using Wembanyama as a playmaker, since the Spurs already start three point guards. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) ## A preseason experiment that has not stuck During the preseason, the Spurs experimented with having Victor Wembanyama create more from the top of the 3-point line. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) He has not done this consistently so far this season. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) Instead, Wembanyama has been playing more off-ball. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) That change affects how the Spurs build their offense around the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. [[2]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/spurs/news/victor-wembanyama-reaching-inhuman-status-in-spurs-4-game-win-streak) ## What Wembanyama is doing instead Wembanyama is bringing the ball up the floor less and posting up less, while taking more threes and rolling to the basket more consistently. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) He has also been setting more screens and either rolling to the rim or sliding to the free-throw line for midrange jumpers. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) The midrange shots have not gone well, since he has shot poorly from there so far. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) The rolls have helped, because he has benefited from rolling to the basket and catching more alley-oops. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) Pick-and-roll is new territory for him. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) Wembanyama barely ran it over his first three seasons, often popping out to the 3-point line instead. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) ## Why the Spurs may have gone this way Coach Mitch Johnson may have opted away from using Wembanyama as a playmaker, since the Spurs already start three point guards. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper give the Spurs a wealth of playmakers. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) Because Wembanyama is a big target, those three guards can create for him. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) The article describes the shift as a good trade-off that maximizes his efficiency by focusing on what he does best. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) ## How his shooting and rolling open the floor Wembanyama's ability to make threes forces opposing centers away from the rim. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) That frees the Spurs' guards to backdoor cut. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) When he rolls to the basket, he often draws a second defender. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) That frees a Spurs shooter in the corner. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) ## The passing question The article says Wembanyama has been frustratingly underutilized as a passer. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) In limited opportunities, he has shown he is a very good passer. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) Against the Jazz on Monday, he had five assists. [[3]](https://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/basketball/player-news/2026-11-02/victor-wembanyama-has-12-11-5-1-3-line-in-win) ## The Jazz game Wembanyama had 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, one steal and three blocks in the Jazz game on Monday. [[3]](https://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/basketball/player-news/2026-11-02/victor-wembanyama-has-12-11-5-1-3-line-in-win) He missed all five of his three-point attempts. [[3]](https://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/basketball/player-news/2026-11-02/victor-wembanyama-has-12-11-5-1-3-line-in-win) He had scored at least 29 points in each of his last three games entering that game. [[3]](https://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/basketball/player-news/2026-11-02/victor-wembanyama-has-12-11-5-1-3-line-in-win) He is averaging 10.7 rebounds per game. [[2]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/spurs/news/victor-wembanyama-reaching-inhuman-status-in-spurs-4-game-win-streak) ## What to watch against the Mavericks If you follow the Spurs, watch how Wembanyama is used. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) His next game is a home matchup against the Mavericks on Wednesday. [[3]](https://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/basketball/player-news/2026-11-02/victor-wembanyama-has-12-11-5-1-3-line-in-win) [[2]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/spurs/news/victor-wembanyama-reaching-inhuman-status-in-spurs-4-game-win-streak) The Spurs host the Mavericks at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, November 4, at 9:30 p.m. ET [[2]](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/spurs/news/victor-wembanyama-reaching-inhuman-status-in-spurs-4-game-win-streak). Check whether he brings the ball up the floor, posts up, takes threes and rolls to the basket in the same mix as before. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) Also watch whether the Spurs go back to having him create from the top of the 3-point line, which he has not done consistently this season. [[1]](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) ## Sources 1. [Spurs still haven't fully unlocked Victor Wembanyama's playmaking](https://airalamo.com/spurs-still-havent-fully-unlocked-victor-wembanyamas-playmaking) — airalamo.com 2. [Victor Wembanyama Reaching Inhuman Status in Spurs' 4-Game Win Streak](https://roundtable.io/sports/nba/spurs/news/victor-wembanyama-reaching-inhuman-status-in-spurs-4-game-win-streak) — roundtable.io 3. [Victor Wembanyama has 12/11/5/1/3 line in win](https://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/basketball/player-news/2026-11-02/victor-wembanyama-has-12-11-5-1-3-line-in-win) — nbcsports.com Image: Photo (illustrative): Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Olympic_Stadium_Munich_-_Rows_of_Seats,_April_2019_-04.jpg) --- Written from the sources above and checked twice (rules and an independent model) before publishing. 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