Victor Wembanyama is learning from former San Antonio Spurs greats such as Tim Duncan. Lesson one: Get in the boxing ring with “Jesse” James Leija.

It's tradition for Spurs players to train with Leija in the offseason. Leija noted that although his workouts provide physical benefits, most Spurs have a different motivation for seeking him out.

“Boxing is such a great sport in terms of eye-hand coordination and movement, so the players are going to have faster reflexes, eye-hand coordination, all that stuff,” Leija told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

“But the main reason the Spurs do this is the mental attitude you are going to have through boxing. You will play a little rougher, push your opponent a little more because you know inside you can back it up.”

That nastier attitude is going to be important for Wembanyama, according to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Because of all the hype surrounding Wembanyama, Popovich has warned that the French teenager will be targeted by opposing players.

There are few people better suited to teach toughness than Leija. A San Antonio native, Leija racked up 47 wins in 57 professional fights. He did so despite a 5'5 frame that disadvantaged him against many opponents.

Wembanyama's decision to train with Leija is a savvy one. Aside from the benefits, it also proves that the number one pick of the 2023 draft is illustrating that he is buying into the Spurs and their history as a franchise.

Wemby is already following in the footsteps of Spurs greats such as Duncan and Manu Ginobili even before his first game in the NBA. No doubt fans will love that.