Throughout the entire 2023 NBA Draft process, the San Antonio Spurs stood out as the best possible destination for consensus first overall pick Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs organization has had a stellar track record when it comes to bringing out the best in a franchise big man. And with Gregg Popovich still at the helm, it's not too difficult to envision a scenario in which the Spurs return to a dominant run as a Western Conference powerhouse in the near future.
Former Cleveland Cavaliers big man Drew Gooden certainly echoes those sentiments. Speaking on Youtube’s Scoop B Selects with host, Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Gooden couldn't help but see the parallels between Wembanyama and Tim Duncan, especially when it comes to the narrative of being the Spurs franchise's savior.
“San Antonio is the perfect for him because you know Popovich and we’re really seeing the reincarnation of Tim Duncan all over again with the same story,” Gooden said.
Drew Gooden then proceeded to elaborate on his take. Gooden explained that with Popovich, fresh off signing a five-year extension during this offseason, at the helm, there's no better man for the job to help turn Victor Wembanyama into the dominant presence many think he'll be. And perhaps one day, he approaches the level of impact Tim Duncan had on both the Spurs franchise and the sport of basketball in its entirety.
“Coach Pop just signed a new 5-year contract so I’m anticipating Victor Wembanyama under that system becoming a helluva pro, trying to become a Hall of Famer and I think in the next couple of years ultimately could be the next NBA Defensive Player of the Year,” Gooden added.
Gooden knows what he's talking about, as he played 23 total games for the Spurs (regular season and postseason combined) during the 2008-09 season. He got a close-up look at just how great of a teacher Gregg Popovich can be, and how he could provide Victor Wembanyama with the same tutelage to begin his career. Now if Wembanyama comes anywhere close to having the career Tim Duncan had, then that will be a huge win in and of itself.
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