Gregg Popovich compares Wembanyama to Duncan, defends Spurs rebuild / News - Basketnews.com

Gregg Popovich says Victor Wembanyama's character and temperament resemble San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan.

Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con-Scanpix Credit USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con-Scanpix

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich recently shared insights in an interview with Yann Ohnona of L'Equipe, addressing the team's rebuilding process and their rising superstar, Victor Wembanyama.

Victor Wembanyama

MIN:28.41PTS:20.53 (54.64%)REB:10.04As:3.2ST:1.12BL:3.18TO:3.49GM:49ProfileNBA2023/2024

Addressing criticism of the current Spurs' strategy, Popovich dismisses concerns from those expecting immediate top-tier performance from San Antonio.

"You know, people's opinions... They don't know, they don't understand," Popovich noted. "When they see us draft someone like Victor, everyone knows he's talented. But it's not just about talent. Michael Jordan's first title came in his seventh year. Nikola Jokic just won his first ring, and it took him eight years.

"We have every right to hope that things will go faster for Victor, but you can't skip stages," the 75-year-old added. "It takes time to build a team. If it were that easy, you'd have a different champion every year. For the last twenty years, we've had the same organizations. Our cycle of success has been long, stretching over three decades. At some point, you have to start from scratch. That's where we are today."

Don't forget to check the NBA online betting to see how the bookies rate the Spurs chances this season.

Regarding Wembanyama, Popovich praised the young player's essence, likening it to that of NBA legend Tim Duncan.

"What's exciting about Victor is that he's got a temperament and character like Duncan," Popovich underlined. "You can easily coach him, whereas young people often think they know everything. He's confident in his abilities, but he's willing to learn and listen and knows how to deal with the positive and the negative. Your best players have to be treated like the others, or the program won't work."

3-pointers this season

34%12,4Points made:12,4Accuracy:33,9%Place in standings:17Record max:19Record min:5Most made 3FGs:Devin VassellTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

When discussing Wemby's role on the court, Popovich emphasized the fluid nature of player positions in modern basketball.

"He plays center at times, and a lot of people see him that way because he's the tallest guy on the floor, but these days, there's no such thing as an old-fashioned point guard or center," Popovich said. "Everything is interchangeable. So you can see Victor isolated on a wing, on the block, involved in a central pick and roll. Sometimes, he'll be the one holding the ball on this option or bringing it up after a rebound. He does everything, which is precisely what I expect of him. He also wants to and has the skill for it.

"This time of observation was necessary. We didn't know him that well. Video highlights aren't enough. We needed twenty or thirty games to see where he felt most at ease and what were the obvious things to correct. He had to adapt to the roughness of the game because he's got a target on his back, and everyone wants to get in his face physically. He tended to dribble too much in traffic because he's a good ball-handler. He loses balls because of this, but so does everyone else. He quickly realized that he needed to dribble less to counter the speed and athletic impact of his opponents.

"Sometimes, we find him defending the three-point line. We try to establish strategies where he gets closer to the circle. He's still discovering his opponents. His career is in its infancy, so we're working on his three-point shooting, balance, and consistency, knowing that all this will take time."

Wembanyama is the main candidate for the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Award, averaging 20.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 3.1 blocks over 44 games this season.

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