This is one of the attractions of this day dedicated to “media days”, the first exercise of the kind of Victor Wembanyama in the NBA. For twenty minutes, the first choice of the 2023 Draft switched from English to French, depending on the journalists, and he was asked about the prospect of being coached by Gregg Popovich.
Tony Parker probably had to tell him that Coach Pop’ could be very harsh with his players, and more particularly with his star players, and “Wemby” is just asking for that.
“Since training hasn’t started yet, I know we haven’t seen the tough side of Gregg Popovich yet” replies the Frenchman. “But I’m just waiting for that!” For me, there is no other alternative than having a tough coach because I am ready to take all the comments… Let him yell at me… If it is to progress, I am ready to take it That. »
For his part, Coach Pop’ answered questions about his adaptation to the squad, and the Spurs coach lacks words to describe the qualities of his rookie.
Fans already consider him one of their own
“At his age, he is a thoughtful person. He is very intelligent. He’s just a good person.” Gregg Popovich responds. “He has had, and will have, no problem blending in and earning the respect of his teammates, or understanding our community, and the responsibilities that come with it. So I have no concerns about its integration. »
To perfect this integration, Victor Wembanyama spent a lot of time there, and he discovered that the fans considered the Spurs like their family. As is often the case in small markets, and especially in a city where there is no other professional sports franchise, there is a strong connection with the public.
“Every day it affects me more and more” he admits about his frescoes or even these burgers in his name. “At first I didn’t really realize the impact, but it’s really, really nice to see my face when I’m walking or driving. It’s always done in a healthy way and I know they treat me like family here, even if they don’t know me personally. »
