Victor Wembanyama is all set to be selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the upcoming 2023 NBA Draft, and many would have felt that was the best destination for him.
Vincent Collet, the current head coach of Metropolitans 92 (Wembanyama’s club) and the French national team, was certainly one of them as he was hoping the Spurs got to pick Wembanyama.
“It was the choice I was hoping for,” Collet told L’Equipe. “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.”
“Victor is only 19 years old,” Collet continued. “It’s an age when you progress a lot and you progress more or less depending on how you are supported and coached. 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 had stated after the Spurs won the lottery that probably the whole of France wanted that outcome because of the connection with Tony Parker and Boris Diaw. As Collet says, the Spurs have a history of picking foreign players in general, and most of them have gone on to have a great amount of success as well. Having Gregg Popovich as his head coach will also be of great help, although Wembanyama can expect some tough love.
Danny Green Spoke About How Gregg Popovich Will Coach Victor Wembanyama
Danny Green spent eight seasons with the Spurs and knows exactly what it is like to play under Popovich. He explained that Pop will try to humble Wembanyama a bit and will hold him to the same standards as everyone else on the team. He isn’t going to let the Frenchman do whatever he wants, as some coaches might do with star players.
Green believes Wembanyama is in for a great journey, but it won’t be an easy one. How he reacts to this kind of coaching would be interesting, and you do wonder that if he isn’t too fond of it, would Pop make an exception? Wembanyama is a once-in-a-generation talent, and the last thing you want to do if you are the Spurs is to alienate him in any manner.
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