Mo Gueye is following Victor Wembanyama's defensive footsteps

Victor Wembanyama's defensive impact is beyond the stuff of legend, and he's only in year three.

The San Antonio Spurs are living proof that a defensive anchor can change the entire chemistry of your lineup; something the Atlanta Hawks appear to be sorely missing.

But the Atlanta Hawks are rostering their very own Wemby-lite, and all he needs is a simple extra dosage of playing time.

If you haven't already, meet Mouhamed Gueye.

Mo Gueye's defensive instincts, versatility, and natural gifts are paralleled by very few players in the entire league. As the graph above shows, they are only paralleled in his draft class by Victor Wembanyama, the best defender in the league at present, who could become the best defender (peak-for-peak) in NBA history.

While Gueye's offensive game has a ways to go to catch up to his peers (much less Wemby himself), he may not need to develop much at all to simply stay on the court on offense while carrying the same defensive impact he does today.

All Mo Gueye needs is a reliable jumpshot (and some gloves)

As is the case with many players in today's NBA, the idea of a jumpshot is so tantalizing, so juicy, so precious in the eye of the beholder that we fail to recognize that it may be nothing more than just that, an idea.

Mo Gueye is an exception to this rule.

Past players that have been prime examples of this phenomenon, Ben Simmons, Rudy Gobert, and Amen Thompson, all exhibit shooting form so improper that it falls beyond the point of repair.

Gueye's shooting form is the opposite. It's pure, it's hard to contest, and it's all one clean motion.

If Gueye can achieve a consistent jumpshot, perhaps only a consistent corner 3-pointer, following in the hallowed footsteps of corner-sitters such as PJ Tucker or Robert Covington, his offensive impact will immediately jump to at least league average.

Pair this with his already statistically (and visually) elite defense, and he's missing only one more item: reliable hands.

Whenever Gueye is on the floor, especially in fast-moving transition scenarios, he has exhibited an unfortunately high frequency of fumbling the ball and losing just a half-step in the open court. This can easily result in, at best, a missed shot at the rim or, at worst, a turnover that gives the opponent an easy look.

If Gueye can clean these two items up, the Hawks may not need to look for any other positional depth at the center position. Quin Snyder, it's all on you now: please play Mo Gueye ahead of older centers with much less to prove.