It may be too early to declare the San Antonio Spurs a threat to challenge for a playoff spot next season, but they are well on their way to building one of the scariest young cores in the NBA. Drafting Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft sets up the Spurs for years to come, but one tantalizing prospect does not a team make.

Thus, the 2023 NBA Summer League is an exciting opportunity for Spurs fans to tune into how their young guys are developing while keeping an eye out for unheralded players who could potentially crack the opening day roster. The Spurs will be beginning their Summer League journey in the California Classic in Sacramento on July 3, warming them up just in time for the Vegas Summer League which begins on the 7th.

But among those who will be playing for the Spurs in the 2023 NBA Summer League, who should fans keep an eye out for the most? Here are five Spurs prospects fans must intently watch as the unofficial start of the 2023-24 NBA season kicks off.

Victor Wembanyama

This should go without saying, but it must be said nonetheless. Every Victor Wembanyama minute is must-see, even in the Summer League where the Spurs coaching staff is sure to limit the 19-year old Frenchman's minutes.

The 7'3 big man won't be participating in the California Classic, but it should be all systems go for the Spurs' prized big man on July 7, when they take on the Chicago Bulls in Las Vegas. Wembanyama should be a man amongst boys during his limited Summer League minutes, and it'll be interesting to see how the Spurs utilize him on offense. After all, Wembanyama is a threat from all over the floor, and he could even put the ball on the deck to create offense for himself.

But in the end, Victor Wembanyama's immediate impact should come at the defensive end of the floor. Chet Holmgren, during the 2022 NBA Summer League, put up huge block totals — expect Wembanyama to do the same as he continues to vindicate all the hype.

Malaki Branham

Malaki Branham, unlike most participants in the 2023 NBA Summer League, already has a year of professional basketball experience under his belt. That alone should set him up for success against opposition with less experience and talent. Given the young Spurs guard's craftiness on offense, he should be able to light up the scoreboard, tearing up the opposition using his delicate floater touch that has him ranked among the best in the league despite being just a 20-year old.

It will be interesting to watch as well how Branham fleshes out the rest of his game, and whether it shows in his performance for the Spurs during Summer League. Branham was thrown into the fire as the lead guard in some Spurs units last season, but he didn't exactly possess yet the playmaking feel required out of the position. He was more of a shot-chucker, averaging 1.9 assists against 1.2 turnovers last year.

One thing to watch out for will be improvements in that facet of the game, and whether Malaki Branham could learn how to leverage his improving scoring game to make life easier for his teammates.

Sidy Cissoko

Sidy Cissoko, the 44th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, may not play too many minutes in his rookie year. He's going to play behind the likes of Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell while competing for minutes against the likes of Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley, and Julian Champagnie.

But Cissoko's defensive potential is off the charts. At 6'7, Cissoko has the athleticism and the feel to emerge as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. And as a matter of fact, the 19-year old wing is making it a mission of his to “focus first on defense” so he could earn minutes despite being as young as he is.

The road to Sidy Cissoko's emergence as a rotation piece, however, begins in the 2023 NBA Summer League. His ability to shoot from beyond the arc will also go a long way towards endearing him to the Spurs staff. Thus, fans should be on the lookout for just how impressive Cissoko could be when it comes to nailing the nitty-gritty parts of the game that makes one excel despite not having a huge involvement in the offense.

Blake Wesley

Blake Wesley had an uneven rookie season with the Spurs, as he had to miss a chunk of time due to injury. When he returned, Wesley didn't exactly set the world on fire with his performances. In fact, he was inefficient, delivering the occasional ghastly 1-12 or 2-12 performances that won't bode well for anyone's development. He posted a True Shooting percentage of 37.6 since returning from injury in January. There is no sugarcoating it: that kind of output is downright horrific.

But Wesley is only 20 years old, and for him to display some potential as a shot-creator at such a young age should allow him to stick for years to come. Hopefully during the 2023 NBA Summer League, the youngster becomes more efficient by virtue of getting to the rim, drawing fouls more often and cutting out some of the needlessly difficult shots he tends to take.

Julian Champagnie

The Spurs, for years, have managed to pluck quality contributors from out of nowhere. Could Julian Champagnie be the next player in the long line of lovable Spurs role players?

Champagnie impressed to end the 2022-23 season, earning him a four-year, $12 million contract with the Spurs. Fans should keep an eye out on his lethal marksmanship from deep, as he could end up playing huge minutes for the Spurs this coming season to help grease the wheels for an offense that scored just 109.7 points per 100 possessions last season, which ranked 29th.