Gregg Popovich knows a thing or two about coaching young international stars. Therefore, NBA pundits have gladly welcomed his mentorship of the 2023 #1 Draft pick, Victor Wembanyama. Speaking about Wemby’s pre-season performance in a press conference, Popovich had a lot of things to say about the hyped San Antonio star.
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He praised Wemby for dealing well with all the hype and for being mature and emotionally strong before the biggest moment of his life so far. These adulations came just a few days after the Spurs’ decent showing against a stacked Golden State Warriors team and 19 days after Coach Pop yelled at his young superstar for making mistakes during drills.
Gregg Popovich praises Victor Wembanyama and his maturity ahead of the 2023-2024 season
The San Antonio Spurs are entering a new chapter in their franchise’s history. With Victor Wembanyama on the roster now, the Spurs will be looking to rebuild back their championship form. And Popovich wants to make sure that there’s no stone unturned in Wemby’s development. Therefore, he even yelled at the French star about 19 days ago, which the latter later on admitted was part of the process.
During a recent press conference, Popovich outlined the team’s plans heading into the new season. One of the topics he touched upon is Wemby. He praised the Frenchman for his maturity. Over the last few months, there has been a lot of hype surrounding the 19-year-old. But Wemby has dealt with it well and has not let it affect him, earning him the kind words from his boss.
“There’s been a lot of hype around him [Wembanyama] for a long time and he doesn’t let it affect him. He’s very mature. He’s very emotionally strong. His priorities are in order. He’s very professional already.”
Gregg Popovich on Wemby:
pic.twitter.com/yGLHVFQrU0— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) October 24, 2023
However, Wemby isn’t the only player on the roster who received praise. Popovich also tipped his hat to the young core that the Spurs have assembled. With the likes of Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and others on the team, the Spurs only lack a veteran presence in the locker room. Nevertheless, Pop is happy with how the team has stepped up during the preseason.
Skip Bayless believes Wembanyama’s time in San Antonio will end like Kawhi Leonard’s did
There can be no denying that Victor Wembanyama is the most hyped player in NBA history since LeBron James. After a poor Summer League performance, he showed up big in pre-season. He is clearly going to be an integral part of the San Antonio Spurs organization for years to come.
That being said, Skip Bayless believes Wemby’s time in San Antonio is doomed to fail. The veteran talking head has suggested that the dynamic between the 19-year-old and coach Gregg Popovich is “iffy” at best. As such, he hopes that the 19-year-old’s time in the Alamo City doesn’t end like Kawhi Leonard’s stint did.
Gregg Popovich isn’t going to like it that he’s now the second biggest star in San Antonio. He will soon make it tough on Wemby, break the kid down so he (Pop) can take credit for building him back up. Hope Wemby doesn’t go Kawhi on Pop and say, “Enough of this.”
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 24, 2023
Everybody will be hoping that Wembanyama finds success in San Antonio and that he has a long and fruitful career in the city. But only time will tell how things end up for the man dubbed the “Alien”.
