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While much of the NBA world is anticipating Victor Wembanyama becomes the next big thing in basketball and sports, San Antonio Spurs fans are hoping he can restore the franchise to its past glory. But they might have to wait a bit to see if all of that faith will be validated.
That is, if you go by one Eastern Conference executive who believes head coach Gregg Popovich and the Spurs might be inclined to be extra cautious with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. “The Spurs will presumably work a ton on his body and manage his minutes, not play him in back-to-back games,” he said, per Fox Sports' Ric Bucher. “They’ll handle it right.”
Although taking a long-term approach with Wembanyama may be practical, such a practice would also greatly dampen the city's excitement and irritate the league offices to no end. The 19-year-old's physique has been a talking point since he was first discovered in France. A 7-foot-plus center with a slender frame does not have the best track record of staying healthy in this game.
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The super prospect played in just two games in Las Vegas Summer League before being shut down. His season in France's LNB Pro A recently ended, so extra rest makes sense. Limiting Wembanyama's NBA court time before a warning sign even pops up, however, might be overly premature.
After all, he has a few more months to get his body pro-ready. Judging by his prior interviews and countenance, the former Metropolitans 92 star is determined to make that happen. Still, fans know how Popovich feels about back-to-backs.
The five-time championship-winning coach signed a historic five-year contract extension at least in part because he believes the Spurs have a bright future ahead. It would look far more uncertain, and potentially quite dark, if disaster strikes early for Victor Wembanyama.
