San Antonio Spurs gamers Victor Wembanyama (1) and Chris Paul (3) pose for pictures through the NBA basketball staff’s media day, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Picture/Darren Abate)
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs tried to supply David Robinson and Tim Duncan with all they wanted to develop shortly, however had been missing a bit when it got here to their latest famous person, Victor Wembanyama.
Robinson and Duncan had veteran gamers like Paul Pressey, Terry Porter and Avery Johnson to assist mentor them by way of their early years within the NBA. As a 20-year-old rookie, Wembanyama’s teammates had been primarily about the identical age with solely a 12 months to a few years extra expertise.
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“You consider the individuals who got here in when Timmy and Manu (Ginobili) and Tony (Parker) had been right here,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich stated. “That they had good examples to look as much as, (gamers) who had been within the league for some time. It’s vital in a participant’s improvement. These guys for probably the most half haven’t actually had that. Even Victor, clearly he’s tremendous proficient, however he wants that additionally identical to all people else who’s younger.”
READ: Chris Paul becoming a member of Wembanyama at Spurs as NBA Free Company opens
Enter Chris Paul and exit any questions on veteran management in San Antonio.
“I watched him loads (rising up),” Wembanyama stated. “He’s a participant I really bear in mind watching as a child. I’m actually excited from simply the (one) week we’ve spent right here with him. All of us, we discovered loads. All of us knew he was going to suit with us however the way in which he’s making an attempt to make his greatest to slot in with us, to show us from day one.”
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The Spurs signed Paul and traded for Harrison Barnes to assist nurture what was the youngest staff within the league final season. Paul and Harrison convey a mixed 33 years of taking part in expertise and 220 playoff video games to a staff hoping to interrupt a five-year playoff drought.
“I feel the largest factor that I hope I can convey to this staff is the competitiveness,” Paul stated. “We speak about it on a regular basis. Enjoying onerous is a expertise, nevertheless it’s not sufficient. This staff right here has already proven the power to play onerous and to compete night time in and night time out, however now we’ve acquired to determine translate that to wins.”
Whereas the Spurs have received 22 video games in every of the previous two seasons, expectations are excessive for a playoff push behind the distinctive abilities of the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama. San Antonio tied an NBA document with 22-straight playoff appearances below Robinson and Duncan previous to this present rut.
READ: NBA: Wembanyama put up historic numbers for Spurs in rookie 12 months
Getting into his twentieth season, Paul is lengthy thought to be one of many league’s nice ground leaders. He was named All-NBA 10 occasions, together with 4 first-team choices, was named All-Defensive first staff seven occasions, was a 12-time All-Star and led the league in assists 5 occasions.
“His IQ is off the charts,” Popovich stated. “It was at all times troublesome taking part in in opposition to him as a result of he was pondering forward of the coaches.”
Extra importantly for San Antonio, Paul has spent his whole profession at level guard starting in 2008 at New Orleans when he was named Rookie of the 12 months.
The Spurs tried to transform energy ahead Jeremy Sochan to its place to begin guard final season, however the experiment failed. San Antonio went 3-20 to open the season as Sochan struggled to study a place he had by no means performed earlier than on any stage.
The experiment additionally slowed Wembanyama as he opened at energy ahead earlier than shifting to heart to start his climb to successful Rookie of the 12 months.
Wembanyama averaged 21.4 factors, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals and was the youngest participant to steer the league in blocks at 3.6 per sport. He additionally was the primary participant in league historical past 1,500 factors, 250 blocks, and 100 3-pointers in a season and joined Duncan and Robinson as the one rookies in league historical past with at the least 30 factors, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 blocks in a sport.
READ: Wembanyama is first rookie to make NBA first-team All-Protection
“He’s a canine,” Sochan stated of Wembanyama. “That’s the definition of him. On the court docket, the stuff he does is unbelievable, nevertheless it’s due to the work he does (off it). When there aren’t any cameras, no individuals round, the work he does mentally bodily, he simply works and that’s wonderful to see.”
What can Paul do to assist Wembanyama get even higher? Educate him dunk, Paul jokingly stated.
“For me with him, it’s going to be simply making an attempt to assist him settle in additional,” Paul stated. “Coming right here as a rookie like he with all of the expectations and for him to play in addition to he did and to know the expectations to be behind this 12 months, I feel I can simply hopefully assist in his progress and simply assist the place I can.”
Getting the chance to start out was an enormous consider Paul signing with the Spurs. The 39-year-old began a career-low 18 video games for the Warriors.
At 39 years previous, Paul is by far the oldest participant on the Spurs’ roster and his youthful teammates ensure he is aware of that.
Rookie Stephon Fort reminded Paul that he attended one in every of his youth camps and joked that his dad, Stacey, performed at Wake Forest with him — Stacey really performed with Duncan. Keldon Johnson additionally gave up No. 3 to Paul, who was the inspiration for the 24-year-old to decide on that quantity within the first place.
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“Except for hooping and taking part in basketball, we spend quite a lot of time with one another,” Paul stated. “It’s a fantastic group to be round. I can actually say that, and I imply it.”
