“From jeers to cheers” (“From boos to applause”): beyond the rhyme, the title of the sports notebook of the San Antonio Express-News dated Tuesday October 1, decorated with a large photo with Victor Wembanyama (20 years) and Chris Paul (39 years old), all smiles, checking himself out, is eloquent. It alone sums up the relationship between “CP3” and the Spurs and the new life that is offered to the entire Texan franchise.
“From jeers to cheers”.
The front page of the San Antonio Express-News sports section [@ExpressNews] on Tuesday, October 1 with Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul, a long-awaited duo in the light of the 2024-2025 Spurs season. pic.twitter.com/O6N0J89432
— Théo Quintard (@TheoQuintard) October 2, 2024
Formerly hated Alamo Citythe twelve-time All-Star point guard, who begins his 20th NBA season in South Texas, hopes to help San Antonio find the light again. “San Antonio has had a winning culture for years and years”he emphasized on Monday during Spurs’ “media day”. “I just come here to make sure my teammates are worthy heirs. »
Youngest team in the NBA last season (23 and a half years old on average) and penultimate in the Western Conference (22 wins – 60 losses), the Spurs have long suffered from a lack of experience and leadership before that Victor Wembanyama, too often lonely in the game, gains depth over the months. The position of leader has also been one of the main projects of the Texan “coaching staff”: the transition to the lead of Jeremy Sochan at the start of the season not having given much satisfaction, Tre Jones, from the top of his 24 years, took over as interim while waiting for reinforcement of another caliber in the offseason.
The new voice of the Spurs locker room
Very quickly, the opportunity to sign Chris Pau at the start of free agency became unmissable for the Spurs front office, especially since Brian Wright, the GM of Spurs, is close to “CP3”. But neither Pop nor fans expect Chris Paul to perform at an All-Star level. The telephone conversation between the historic Spurs coach and his new leader at the start of the summer was summed up in three words.
“I told him, 'Be Chris Paul.'rewinds Pop. “I'm probably not going to coach him, but just try to explain to him what our strategy is, how we play, what we're looking to do and give him some information.” To which the main interested party, who seems to abandon the idea of an NBA ring which has always eluded him, replied: “ He’s still going to train me and I want him to do it, the way he should.” Because after an unsuccessful experience with the Warriors, where he often started off the bench, he wants to prove, despite the weight of age and repeated injuries, that he is still one of the best leaders in the league.
After being trained by Steve Kerr, Mike D'Antoni, Doc Rivers and Monty Williams, he now has the opportunity to work with the most successful coach in NBA history.
A Texan experience, five years after his time with the neighbors of the Rockets, in the form of a (last) challenge of a rich career which he approaches with envy, saying to himself “excited to be with the Spurs and to be (Pop’s) voice in the locker room” and ready to “bring your competitiveness” and, he assures with a broad smile, “probably show Victor how to dunk”.
The example of Thunder
Growing this team and giving it the means to fight for the play-in or even the playoffs for as long as possible resonates as the main reason for Chris Paul's arrival in South Texas. An experience that the veteran Spurs leader had already had at the Thunder, where he contributed to the progression of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, then in his second NBA season, in 2019/20.
Long before the opportunity to recruit him became tangible, Gregg Popovich, although reluctant to distribute compliments in the press, had these words after the Spurs' narrow defeat at the Warriors in mid-March: “He’s one of the best competitors ever in the league. He’s a great leader, a great competitor.”. A speech that he more or less renewed during the media day at Victory Capital Performance CenterMonday, specifying that he “must sometimes [se] pinch when [il] looks at it every day ».
Chris Paul “has a desire to transmit”, according to Wemby
Alongside Harrison Barnes (32) from the Kings, Chris Paul – the only two players over the age of 30 in the current Spurs squad – will play the role of big brother to the younger players, including with Victor Wembanyama.
“He will be a wonderful mentor for our young people”underlined Gregg Popovich, about the “Point God”, the best passer in activity (11,894 achievements on the clock), only ahead of John Stockton and Jason Kidd in history. “He will bring his experience, his work ethic and his professionalism to our young people. »
His duo with Victor Wembanyama, unanimously elected Rookie of the Year and now favorite for the title of Defender of the Year, will undoubtedly be one of the most scrutinized among the Spurs. “I can’t wait (to play with him)”launched Wemby on Monday, with enthusiasm, which intends to become “leader by example” Spurs. “He’s a player I remember watching a lot as a child. We know that it will stick well with us because he has this desire to transmit. We want to let him be himself. » And Chris Paul counts “help him understand that with his qualities, he can do anything”.
Long a difficult Spurs opponent
Spurs fans have known Chris Paul for a long time: during the era of the “Big Three” (Tim Duncan – Manu Ginobili – Tony Parker), the former star of the New Orleans Hornets notably pushed the Spurs, NBA champions in title, to an epic Game 7 in the conference semi-finals in 2008, before taking out San Antonio, then 2014 NBA champion, in the first round of the playoffs in 2015, this time with the Clippers.
“I hated Chris Paul for many years but like everyone else, I respect him enormously”admits frankly, coach Gregg Popovich. “Because it was difficult to play against him because he is really an intelligent player. (Facing him) was always a challenge because he thinks faster than us coaches. »
Yesterday rivals, today allies, “CP3” and Pop now hope to begin the creation of a new dynasty with “King Victor”.
From our correspondent in San Antonio (United States).
