Jeremy Sochan: Who is the Spurs 9th overall prospect from Poland? / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix Credit USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix

Jeremy Sochan became just the 7th Top-10 NBA Draft pick by the San Antonio Spurs last night.

Points this season

47%113,0Points made:113,0Accuracy:46,6%Place in standings:7Record max:157Record min:90Best scorer:Dejounte MurrayTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

A versatile skillset attracted the Spurs to select Sochan 9th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. He only averaged 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists for Baylor during the last season, but in his case, the potential is more important than statistics.

An elite defensive prospect who can defend across all positions. Super active, tough, and strong to handle bigger players inside, long and mobile enough to handle quicker players on the perimeter. He hustles hard, communicates, and displays excellent awareness all over the court. He can serve as a rim protector in pick-and-roll or defend at the point of attack.

On the offensive end, he’s a fluid playmaker who uses misdirection and sudden movements to generate space. At his size of 2.06-meters and 104 kg, he’s too big for smaller players to contain. Even though he’s a limited shooter, defending him with a bigger player means he’ll just drive right by them. He’s a potential mismatch nightmare with his combination of size and speed.

Jeremy Sochan getting helped by his Polish NT teammatesCredit FIBA

The American basketball fans had the ability to watch Sochan throughout the year in Baylor. He will soon make his NBA debut with the Spurs. However, his first international experience as a professional basketball player came last year when he played for the Polish national team in the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 Qualifiers.

On February 21, 2021, at the age of 17, nine months, and one day, Sochan made his debut for the national team, scoring 18 points on 6-for-10 shooting, grabbing 3 rebounds, dishing out an assist, and making 2 blocks for 20 PIR in 29 minutes of play.

Sochan impressed the Polish fans with his confidence, calmness, and efficiency while at the same time becoming the youngest player to even put up such a performance for the squad.

"They said about him later that he was brave, that he did not have stage fright. It was no surprise to me. I know him, I know that he is brought up like that, stress-free in a way, aware of his own worth," Sochan's grandmother Lucyna recalled for TVP Sport.

"I guess he has it in nature. When he undertakes something, then - just like grandfather Juliusz, who was crazy about basketball, organizing, helping young people on trips, or supporting clubs - he is such that if he puts on something, he will consistently strive for it. I sometimes ask him, like Grandma, about things, including girls. Then it answers me: basketball is my love."

Sochan comes from a family of sports. His mom Aneta, who was a basketball player for Polonia Warszawa and then later played college basketball in the US, would always take little Jeremy to practices with her. His grandfather, Juliusz Sochan, was a well-known basketball activist, the head of the basketball section of AZS AWF Warsaw (1970-79), and the president of the Warsaw District Basketball Association in the years 1976-1981.

"He was maybe three or four months old then, but he was already big, he looked older. The husband was happy, he believed that the grandson would be a basketball player," the grandmother Lucyna remembers. "Basketball was his passion, he also instilled it in his daughter Aneta, so he supported Jeremy, like all of us."

Grandfather Juliusz, whose name Sochan has taken as a middle name, unfortunately, did not live up to see his grandson drafted into the NBA.

"Jeremy was everywhere with the ball. And in the States, and in England, where my daughter moved, and in Poland, when he came on vacation," grandma recalls. "As soon as he had free time, he would go to the court at Jagiellonska Street to dribble and shoot."

"Jeremy is a player who is very intelligent. That's why everyone wants him and everyone likes him. Wherever he goes - he's a sensation. He's physical, he's smart, and he constantly gets better and better," the coach of the Polish national team, Igor Milicic, said about Sochan.

Sochan will be only the fourth Polish player to play in the NBA after Marcin Gortat (2007-2019), Maciej Lampe (2003-2006), and Cezary Trybanski (2002-2004).

"He is slowly becoming a complete player, an all-rounder. It's a rarity these days because even the NBA clubs are signing up for this task. There are no players that versatile. When they are, they become superstars like Luka Doncic," Milicic said.

It is currently believed that the Spurs will not rush to develop Sochan and will not put him on the main roster right away. However the future turns out, Poland has a bright prospect under their hands who is set to lead the national team for years to come.

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