San Antonio Spurs heart Victor Wembanyama, the NBA’s first spherical draft choose, heart, jokes with members of the media throughout an NBA basketball media day in San Antonio, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Picture/Eric Homosexual)
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs are ready for what ought to be one of the crucial demanding duties this NBA season: Answering questions on rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama.
What number of occasions can the Spurs reply how superb Wembanyama is earlier than it will get irritating (or earlier than they’ve performed a sport that issues)? Attempt two minutes into the Spurs’ media day on Monday.
“I already am (irritated),” veteran coach Gregg Popovich mentioned, laughing afterward. “It’s OK. It’s OK. A part of the deal.”
Welcome to Wembanyama’s world, often known as the house of the five-time NBA Champions.
The hype surrounding the league’s No. 1 choose is bigger than his 7-foot-3 body and wider than his 8-foot wingspan. It’s comprehensible contemplating Wembanyama is not like any participant the league has seen.
The 19-year-old from France has already been in comparison with a number of the sport’s most expert long-range shooters, finest shot blockers and high passers whereas additionally standing as one of many league’s tallest gamers ever.
The Spurs are as ecstatic to have Wembanyama as he’s to be with them, however neither is so positive about all of the fanaticism he attracts off the court docket.
Displaying San Antonio love 🫶
Be part of @wemby as he takes a tour across the 210 and surprises Spurs followers 🎥 https://t.co/uCrG2T8Ytx pic.twitter.com/EWkSMT8zgx
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 3, 2023
“In fact, there’s going to be lots of consideration,” Wembanyama mentioned. “On the finish of the day, when all the pieces is finished, we’re at follow I’m like, yeah, what can we do to get this group higher? It’s actually stuff we don’t care about. It’s basketball first.”
Whereas the Spurs are doing their finest to diffuse the hoopla, his new teammates can also’t assist however add to the hype.
“He’s only a freak of nature,” second-year ahead Jeremy Sochan mentioned. “It’s not a standard factor to see somebody that tall transfer like that, be agile and be capable of come out of nowhere and block a shot or dunk it from some bizarre place. He’s carried out a bunch of stuff that’s like, ‘Oh snap. That’s loopy.’”
Wembanyama has wowed throughout summer time pick-up video games, and people outstanding moments will certainly solely develop as coaching camp opens Tuesday on the group’s new follow facility.
“I feel each sport he’s going to do one thing to the place you simply flip round and be like ‘huh,’” Spurs guard Devin Vassell mentioned. “It simply doesn’t make sense. Typically he makes the ring simply look so little or he does one thing like shoot a step-back and also you’re like, ‘Did he actually simply shoot that,’ and he makes it. So, you all are going to have a good time watching him play this season, it’s going to be enjoyable.”
Wembanyama joins a group that completed with the second-worst document within the Spurs’ 50-year historical past. It’s additionally a deep and younger roster that opened final season 5-2 and but ended up in competition to land Wembanyama.
“We combat,” Spurs ahead Keldon Johnson mentioned. “We obtained that grit. We hungry. Realistically, we all know we’re anticipated to win this yr. We wish to win. We don’t wish to hear we’re rising or that we’re younger. We wish to win. We’re going on the market to win each sport this season.”
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs poses for images throughout San Antonio Media Day at 21 Spurs Lane on October 2, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. Ronald Cortes/Getty Photos/AFP
The place Wembanyama matches remains to be unknown giving his distinctive set of expertise. Popovich is unsure if Wembanyama will begin at heart, energy ahead or perhaps even small ahead.
“I do know I can carry some assist to this group and one of the best ways for me to assist it’s to not put me in a field,” Wembanyama mentioned. “(Popovich) is aware of it. He’s realized to know me and I’m studying to know him. We all know we’re going to make one thing authentic, one thing particular.”
Who will begin alongside Wembanyama can also be unknown. Vassell, Sochan and Johnson return together with fellow starters Zach Collins at heart and Tre Jones at level guard together with key reserves like Doug McDermott, Julian Champagnie and Malaki Branham.
No matter who begins, Wembanyama is aware of the group’s focus is already set.
“Typically in Europe there are some fights between gamers and coach and gamers and entrance workplace,” Wembanyama mentioned. “Right here, everybody works in concord, and everyone seems to be working in direction of the identical aim. I do know it’s not the identical with each franchise, however right here they know win. They’ve carried out it earlier than, they usually wish to do it once more. Everyone seems to be working towards the identical aim and it’s stunning concord.”
Wembanyama ready for the season by including 10 to fifteen kilos of muscle because the Spurs drafted him with the No. 1 choose on June 22.
“My conditioning and bodily situation are means, means higher than any time in my life,” he mentioned.
He additionally added a black cowboy hat he wore whereas spending the previous two weeks visiting the Alamo together with San Antonio’s latest landmarks – murals of Wembanyama.
“I’m actually glad all the pieces is going on the way in which it’s occurring,” Wembanyama mentioned. “I really feel very fortunate. I do know I’m in a great atmosphere from each facet.”
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As for the hype, the Spurs are prepared to take care of it.
“Simply dealing with it organically is healthier than making selections forward of time that we’re going to do that and this and this and put everybody in packing containers,” Popovich mentioned. “Let’s simply roll with it and see what it’s prefer it. If there are folks hanging on high of the bus, then we’ve obtained to get them off. In need of that, we’ll be OK.”