Wembanyama's coach comments on Spurs winning the lottery, shares coaching tips / News - Basketnews.com

Vincent Collet thinks the Spurs are a perfect destination both for Wembanyama and the French national team. He said Wemby has to be coached differently and stressed the importance of communication with the player about his actions on the court.

Credit: Franck Fife/AFP - Scanpix Credit Franck Fife/AFP - Scanpix

The San Antonio Spurs won the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes last week after getting the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft. His current coach shared his opinion about it.

2-pointers this season

53%32,0Points made:32,0Accuracy:52,9%Place in standings:3Record max:45Record min:17Most made 2FGs:Keldon JohnsonTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

Talking with Yann Ohnona from L'Equipe, Metropolitans 92 head coach Vincent Collet, who coaches Wembanyama both in the club and in the French national team, welcomed the draft lottery's result.

"It was the choice I was hoping for. San Antonio is a franchise that has built its legend with foreign players. We saw that in France with the prism of Tony Parker but there was also Manu Ginobili and others. I think Gregg Popovich can be the best mentor for him," Collet said.

"Victor is only 19 years old. It's an age when you progress a lot and you progress more or less depending on how you are supported and coached," he continued. "This is also good news for the French national team. San Antonio respects international basketball and knows that the players do not waste their time in national teams."

Wembanyama is often described as the best prospect in a generation. What makes him special? Collet says that it's more than just his physical traits.

"It's not common to take care of a gifted individual. He is passionate, he's interested in everything. Much like Kobe Bryant, who he is a big fan of, he always wants to understand why he does things, thus, a different approach is needed," Collet explained.

"There are obvious things in his qualities like measurements, motor skills, etc. Then there is his project, his own will, his independency. You have to give him freedom while trying to influence his choices so that he progresses with accuracy," the coach said.

Best known for his success with the French national team, Collet is now tasked with developing the most exciting prospect in recent history. There are some things, he says, that are mandatory when coaching Wembanyama.

"It's unnecessary to walk beside him with authority, prohibiting him from doing certain things. You have to read the situation and make sure that he perceives the validity of his decision-making," he said. "We discuss his usage on the court and how he could take advantage of certain situations. We explore his game. We try to make sense of it."

"He's not only gifted with the ball in his hands. He has a lot of assets, and intelligence is one of them, he has the ability to quickly adapt," Collet told. "The most remarkable thing is his ability to be more complete [as time goes]. In January-February, he took seven, eight bad shots per game. He's reduced that. The paradox is that he's able to succeed even in difficult moments with all the pressure that's being put on him."

Collet says that people have to look beyond Wembanyama's flashy episodes to see where the kid's greatness truly lies.

"His evaluation must not be done only by grandiose actions such as his 3-point shots on one foot or his putback dunk after a 3-pointer. This is not what will determine who he will become," he said. "His usage and his profile are important. We usually play big men in their traditional position. With his exceptional motor skills, coordination, and dexterity for his size, he must be on the move to make the most of his efficient skills."

"At the start of the season, he had problems with shot selection. He went to what he liked, he shot too many three-pointers too fast. When he's patient and working to get closer to the basket, he's pretty much indefensible, unstoppable," Collet concluded.

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