The San Antonio Spurs will be on the road for their next game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Still, at the bottom of the Western Conference, the Spurs franchise and their fans are not worried about the team’s future after landing the number one overall pick in this past NBA draft. Victor Wembanayma has lived up to the hype that surrounded him and head coach Gregg Popovich goes on to describe his relationship with the future of the franchise.
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As a rookie, Victor Wembanyama has been leading the league and his team in blocks this season. Apart from leading the league, he is already the team’s leader in points and rebounds as well, making a strong case for being more than the Rookie of the Year.
Ahead of the Lakers matchup, Gregg Popovich sat down with the media to describe his relationship with the French sensation. When asked how he felt about Wemby and his relationship with him, this is what Pop had to say.
“Well, we just got married. So, it’s gonna take a while. We’re still kind of feeling each other out. But for me, it’s always been…if somebody has a sense of humor, it’s gonna be an easier relationship to establish. If somebody is not defensive, if somebody has already gotten over themselves, it’s gonna be a lot easier to have a relationship with them. So far, that’s the case. So I’m enjoying very much. I hope he’s enjoying me too.”
Gregg Popovich jokes that he and Victor Wembanyama “just got married.”
Pop says Wemby’s sense of humor has helped them forge a relationship. pic.twitter.com/Ax2tPuxQNM
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvo_) February 24, 2024
There is no doubt in the fact that Gregg Popovich has been establishing a great relationship with Victor Wembanyama during his first year with the Spurs. Apart from being a coach to him on the court, Pop has always had great bonds with his players over the years.So, despite the team being far from competitive today, everything does seem to be going according to plan so far.
And by the looks of it, Victor Wembanyama feels the same way about Coach Pop. After being drafted by the Spurs, Wemby displayed his excitement to join one of the better franchises in the league while also being coached by arguably one of the best coaches in NBA history.
Coach Pop touches upon his relationship with Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama is already on his way to being the next big superstar in the league. However, amid all the fame and popularity, Wemby has made sure to work on his craft and he credited his head coach, Gregg Popovich for it.
Wembanyama already had an image of coach Pop long before he was drafted with numerous French players having played in the Spurs system. And during this All-Star break, Wemby touched upon it.
“I always thought Pop was the best coach in the world even years before being drafted. So, I had great expectations and I mean, he has lived up to those expectations in my eyes.”
A lot of fans and even NBA executives were not happy that the San Antonio Spurs got the number one pick in the Wemby sweepstakes. However, many others believed that Gregg Popovich and the Spurs system was indeed the best fit for Wembanyama.
Recently, Draymond Green and Jamal Crawford talked about Wembanyama’s potential and how Coach Pop was the key to unlocking his potential. Unaware of what Wemby’s strength is, Crawford and Green agreed on the fact that Popovich would play him to his strengths.
The world has already seen what this 7’4 wonder kid can do in his initial year in the league. It would be a treat to see Wembanyama hone his skills even further as he continues to absorb as much as he can from one of the best coaching minds in NBA history.