In this episode of the Draymond Green Show, Draymond Green, Baron Davis, and a guest (Speaker B) dissect Victor Wembanyama’s under‑whelming start to his rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs. They note that Wemby is shooting just 42% from the field and a mere 22% from three‑point range, scoring only six points in the opening game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where Chet Holmgren posted a dominant line (19 points, 8 rebounds). The panel attributes the slump to several factors: opponents have already scouted his unique skill set and built game plans to limit his impact; Wemby must learn to be more selective with his shot selection and diversify his offensive contributions (tip‑ins, free‑throw attempts, offensive‑glass putbacks). They also discuss the physical toll of his European background—playing a full EuroLeague season, then the NBA draft process, summer league, the Olympics, and finally the NBA regular season—potentially leading to fatigue and a classic “sophomore slump.” The conversation frames the matchup with Holmgren as the start of a potential rivalry, emphasizing that a single loss is not decisive but highlights the adjustments Wemby must make. Mid‑segment, a paid political ad for Kamala Harris’s wealth‑building policies is read. The latter half of the show shifts to a tribute for recently retired veteran Rudy Gay. Both Davis and the guest share personal anecdotes, praise his scoring versatility, team‑first attitude, and wish him well in retirement, underscoring his 18‑year NBA career. The overall tone remains conversational and analytical, blending statistical critique with personal reflections.
Chapters
Chet versus Wemby. This could be a huge rivalry, but in their first matchup of the season, Wemby only has 6 points versus the Thunder. He's shooting 42% from the field and 22% from the 3. Why do you think he is having such a tough start to the season?
Oh, well, number one, when you come back from off of that first summer, everybody been watching you.
Yeah.
You know, defenses are prepared. It's not the first time everybody's seen you. There's game plans that's built to stop you. And so you have to adjust to that. And I think Wemby's just going through what most of us go through where he has to make those adjustments. I think what he'll start to learn is, you know, when shooting 22% from 3, is some of 'em he take his back and, you know, start picking and choosing his spots on when he takes some of those shots that he'd be taking. Yeah, you got the ultimate, ultimate green light, but there's still a responsibility that comes with that on the type of shots that you're getting, which will ultimately help him get back to playing like the player that we know he can. It's 5 games in, nobody's pressing the panic button, but you know, this is starting to grow into a rivalry, uh, with him and Shet. And to come out and have 6 points, lose the game by double digits, that's disappointing. Uh, I think Shet finished with like 19 and 8 or something like that. So, yeah, you You know, Chet got the best of him this game. It's just one game. It's not the end of the world. But you know, Wemby's gonna have to figure out what teams are doing differently to him than they've done last year and make those adjustments. And you know, with his skill level and his talent level, there's zero doubt.
Right.
He will figure it out and make those adjustments. But you know, credit to Chet. He came out ready to go.
Came out ready.
He's number one this year.
Yeah, Wemby also, like sometimes you think it's sweet in the second half of the season because you starting to find your way, you know what I mean? And like rhythm and flow. And then you coming into the next season thinking like, "Oh, you know, it's gonna be as sweet as it was last season." But to your point, people are prepared for you, right? There's a different level of intensity, right? And everybody is fighting for a spot and not like, "Oh, we don't care. We play San Antonio." You know what I mean? Let us be cool. Like everybody laughing and joking towards the end of the season. End of the season if you ain't really in the playoffs or not. But at the beginning of the season, the intensity is high. So he got to figure out how to make adjustments in the game, not his game, but like, can you get some tip-ins, you know what I mean? Can you, uh, can you get to the free throw line, right? Can you get on the offensive glass, get some putbacks? Um, you know, he gotta learn to have a better all-around feel for the game. Especially when everybody gonna be focused on him.
100%. And then is he a little tired? You know, he played a full EuroLeague season.
Yep.
Went straight into the NBA draft, training for the NBA draft, NBA draft, summer league, rookie season, Olympics, NBA season. You know what I'm saying?
That's tough.
That's the European model. You know, he young and the Europeans, they all, you know, play summer basketball pretty much every year. And so that's just what it's gonna be. So not making excuses. Chet got the better of him today.
He did.
But you know, I expect Wemby to get it going. I think, you know, he will. But that's why you see a lot of guys go through that, what we call a sophomore slump, because it's just gonna be a little different than it was for you that rookie year.
Totally.
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_2024. Rudy Gay recently retired. Baron, you played against him and Draymond Green. You played with him as a teammate. How special was Rudy as a player? Do you guys have any stories about Rudy Gay? Rudy Gay. Rudy!
Congratulations, my bro. That's every time I see him, I say Rudy. Uh, man, I would say you talking about a phenomenal talent. Somebody who was a bucket. I think for him, like, the amount of talent he had, he became like just a great teammate. And he was like the epitome of like being this ultra talent and then becoming like this great talent on a good team and a good team player. You know what I mean?
100%.
And off the court, you know, that's my dog, Mr. Fashion. You know, cool, you know, uh, just a solid dude, you know, just always embraced me, embraced my family, you know, always tapped in. And so, you know, I got big love for Rudy. Congratulations on retirement, bro. Uh, you know, welcome to the— welcome to the good life.
All right, and I respect that, man. Like you said, congrats to Rudy. Um, you know, I had a chance to spend a little bit of time with him last camp You know, he came in the camp with us. I was actually hoping he make the team. You know, when you get on some of these teams, especially as young as we were last year, you'd be looking for somebody to hang with.
Right.
You know what I'm saying? I'm like, I can kick it with Rudy. You know what I'm saying? He a great dude. And you know, just having an opportunity to play against Rudy, especially in his prime, man, he was special, man. He put you to the rim, take you off the dribble, get to the middy, shoot the 3. Rudy Gay could do anything on the basketball court.— that you needed or wanted to be done. And, um, you know, like you said, just a special talent for him to go to the situations that he ultimately ended up going to after he left kind of Memphis, then Toronto, and take on the roles that he was willing to take on just shows you the type of team player that he was, the type of guy that he is. Uh, not a guy that's all hung up on himself, can see the bigger picture. And I'm happy, you know, he had a great career. I'm happy to see him retiring. Under his terms, moving on to his next thing in life. Wishing Rudy well, man. Job well done, my brother. 18 years. Rudy gang.
Love you, Rudy.
That's a lot. Congrats. It's a lot, lot of years, man. We can only hope to make it 18 years.
So job well done, my friend. Enjoy retirement.
Well deserved. Much love. We appreciate you, Rudy.
