Following Gregg Popovich being out indefinitely due to a health scare, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama echoed a sentiment that resonated with his entire team, according to NBA writer Paul Garcia.
“Of course we all miss him, we hope he’s alright,” said Victor Wembanyama of Coach Popovich being out. “We know he’s going to come back. We know he’s going to come back earlier than he probably should, but that’s Pop.”
Popovich has coached the Spurs for 29 seasons and has a résumé unlike any other. He has five NBA championships, including 22 straight seasons of making the playoffs. Even when San Antonio had a down year for their standards, they were in the hunt for an NBA championship.
The past two seasons haven't been kind to the franchise. He finished with two consecutive 22-60 records, with this previous season having Wembanyama on the team. Throughout the season, Wembanyama dominated and took home a plethora of awards. For instance, he won the Rookie of the Year on a unanimous vote. Also, Wembanyama made the All-Defensive first team in his rookie season and placed second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Spurs' Gregg Popovich has been vital for Victor Wembanyama's development
Popovich knows how to develop generational big men. From David Robinson to Tim Duncan, the French prodigy is the latest No. 1 pick for the Spurs to flourish. While Robinson and Duncan are both dominant, they don't have what Wembanyama possesses. He has a lethal interior game while putting the ball on the floor and scoring from the perimeter. Mind you, he's 7'4, the tallest player in the NBA today.
Although the record isn't reflective, Wemby looked progressively better and better each game. From quality post positioning to spotting up on the perimeter. There's nothing that the rookie of the year struggles with. Fast forward one offseason and the biggest move of Wembanyama's career took place. Chris Paul landing with the Spurs.
As Paul is an established coach on the floor, Wembanyama has thrived. Although he's struggled offensively so far, it's a matter of time before he has that breakout. However, with Popovich out indefinitely, his development might be stunted. After all, Popovich has almost 30 years of head coaching experience. He's worked with generational players and made them some of the best the game has ever seen.
Still, the Spurs are 3-4 and have been close in every game they've played. It might be a matter of time before Wembanyama flips the switch. Without Popovich though, that time might come slower than anticipated.
Follow Us
Subscribe
