Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs will have another losing season. They have the worst record in the West with 10 wins and 40 losses. Only the Washington Wizards (9-40) and Detroit Pistons (6-43) have worst records than San Antonio.
The veteran coach and his team have started shifting their attention to the 2024 NBA Draft, and could have a good chance of landing the top pick for the second year in a row.
The arrival of Victor Wembanyama as the No.1 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft brought a lot of excitement for the Spurs fanbase, as the French big man is considered a generational talent and the future face of the league.
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Things have not gone the best way for the franchise, but Gregg Popovich urged for patience and explained why this will be a long-term process for San Antonio. He also brought up Michael Jordan and reigning champion Nikola Jokic as an example. The Hall of Famer coach told the French newspaper L’Equipe, via NBA Reddit:
“You know, people’s opinions. … They don’t know, they don’t understand. When they see us draft someone like Victor, everyone knows he’s talented. It is not just about talent. Michael Jordan’s first title came in his seventh year. Nikola Jokic just won his first ring and it took him eight years.
“We have every right to hope that things will go faster for Victor, but you can’t skip stages.”
He added:
“It takes time to build a team. If it were that easy, you’d have a different champion every year. For the last twenty years, we’ve had the same organizations. Our cycle of success has been long, stretching over three decades. At some point, you have to start from scratch. This is where we are today.”
Gregg Popovich is set to remain with the Spurs for a few more years, after signing a five-year extension with San Antonio in 2023.
Gregg Popovich says ‘observation’ was necessary for the Spurs to learn what Victor Wembanyama can do on the floor
Victor Wembanyama has played great in his rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs, but still there is plenty of room for improvement.
Gregg Popovich, a five-time champion, opened up about the difficulties in scouting the French big man before his arrival in San Antonio and how much an ‘observation’ period was necessary for the franchise to understand what he can do on the floor. He said:
“He does everything, which is precisely what I expect of him. He also wants to and has the aptitude for it. This time of observation was necessary. We didn’t know him that well. Video highlights aren’t enough. We needed twenty, or thirty matches, to see where he felt most at ease, and what were the obvious things to correct.
“He had to adapt to the roughness of the game because he’s got a target on his back and everyone wants to get in his face physically.”
Victor Wembanyama has appeared in 44 of the Spurs’ first 50 games, averaging of 20.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.1 blocks. He is the frontrunner to win the Rookie of the Year award.
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