After ten years of good and loyal service in the NBA, Gorgui Dieng finally took the plunge, putting his sneakers away for good in the closet to start a new life.
The former interior, who returned to San Antonio last season, still worked all summer in the new Spurs training center while waiting for an offer. This never came, the Senegalese then proposed to GM Brian Wright to join the Spurs staff as an unpaid intern.
Not only did Brian Wright respond that he was going to pay him, but he also created a position specifically for him: “basketball operations representative”.
“Everyone around me knew I wanted to play ten years and that was it. I had always said it. When I reached ten, I had achieved my goal. It was time to stop and try other things,” he told the San Antonio Express News. “I love San Antonio and I love being here. I don't do it for the money or anything. I just want to learn. I did my time in the NBA. I just do it because I love being with the guys, and I also love learning.”
His missions consist first of all in ensuring the link between the field, the technical staff and the management, but Gorgui Dieng can also become an assistant in Gregg Popovich's staff, particularly on work with the interiors. A way to stay in touch with the field, and experience your transition smoothly.
He works with Victor Wembanyama
“I'm learning a lot. We understand better what the NBA is as a business. When we play, we do what needs to be done on the pitch. Watching the behind-the-scenes preparation helps me understand why the franchise has been so good for so long”he added. “I am very free in what I do. I'm in the front office, learning and doing things. And when the players start training, I come here and help the team. I’m here just to be around them and help them.”
This is how he had to take part in individual sessions with Charles Bassey, but also with the new nugget of the franchise, Victor Wembanyama, who underlined his involvement in this new challenge.
“He’s really invested in his new role,” note “Wemby”. “He talks to us, of course, about basketball. He has this experience. Off the field, he sometimes talks to us about the details of rules, contracts or other things. He’s really dedicated.”
In any case, it is an additional asset for Gregg Popovich who benefits from unexpected reinforcement with great added value, between his knowledge of the group, his experience, his desire to learn and pass on.
“He is a wonderful human being”added coach Pop'. “He’s one of everyone’s favorite teammates. He’s a great source of experience in the league, and everyone can talk to him.”
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Victor Wembanyama | 20 | 30.2 | 43.0 | 25.5 | 81.8 | 2.4 | 7.8 | 10.2 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 19.0 |
| Devin Vassell | 16 | 28.7 | 48.4 | 39.1 | 78.3 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 18.1 |
| Keldon Johnson | 20 | 32.9 | 47.9 | 37.8 | 73.8 | 1.1 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 17.0 |
| Zach Collins | 21 | 28.9 | 48.2 | 27.1 | 80.0 | 2.1 | 4.2 | 6.3 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 13.7 |
| Jeremy Sochan | 21 | 28.9 | 43.7 | 39.1 | 79.1 | 1.4 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 2.9 | 11.0 |
| Tre Jones | 18 | 24.2 | 43.8 | 30.0 | 88.9 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 5.2 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 8.2 |
| Cedi Osman | 21 | 19.6 | 45.4 | 37.5 | 68.8 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 8.0 |
| Malaki Branham | 21 | 20.3 | 41.7 | 29.9 | 90.9 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 7.9 |
| Doug McDermott | 19 | 16.8 | 47.3 | 47.9 | 75.0 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 6.7 |
| Julian Champagnie | 14 | 14.6 | 36.5 | 37.7 | 72.7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 5.9 |
| Charles Bassey | 19 | 10.8 | 72.5 | 0.0 | 83.3 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 3.3 |
| Sandro Mamukelashvili | 7 | 7.8 | 40.0 | 28.6 | 83.3 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 2.7 |
| Devonte' Graham | 3 | 11.9 | 28.6 | 0.0 | 80.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 2.7 |
| Blake Wesley | 5 | 4.8 | 37.5 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.4 |
| Dominic Barlow | 7 | 5.0 | 42.9 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.1 |
| Sidy Cissoko | 1 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
