Gregg Popovich On Victor Wembanyama: “He’s From Europe. They’re A Lot More Cultured Than We Are. They’re More Civil Than We Are.”

Gregg Popovich took some shots at his fellow countrymen and women when speaking on Victor Wembanyama's worldliness.

5 Min Read

Credit: Fadeaway World

Victor Wembanyama seems to have adjusted well to life in the U.S. and while talking about his worldliness, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich took some shots at his fellow countrymen and women.

“A lot of these places (in the U.S.) are new to him but he’s a very inquisitive young man,” Popovich said. “He’s from Europe. They’re a lot more cultured than we are. They’re more civil than we are. They travel, speak languages. It’s not like he’s a dumbstruck young kid. He’s pretty worldly. This hype has gone on for a very long time. It’s old hat for him. He doesn’t even notice it.”

Popovich might just have been saying that in jest, so you shouldn’t take those comments too seriously. Europeans are generally considered to be more cultured than Americans, though, but I won’t go as far as saying they are more civil.

You’ll find plenty of uncivil people no matter where you are in the world and Europe is no exception. Perhaps if the 74-year-old lived in the continent for an extended period of time, he’d realize that, too.

As for Popovich’s comments on Wembanyama, he would be used to all the hype at this point. I have never really felt like it was something that bothers him, and he is just supremely confident in his own abilities.


Victor Wembanyama Has Had A Solid Start To His NBA Career

Wembanyama hasn’t started dominating in the NBA right away as some wrongly expected him to do, but is off to a pretty solid start. The 19-year-old has averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game.

While he has had some jaw-dropping plays on offense, it is really on the defensive end where Wembanyama has shone so far. His length and quick feet have helped him have a big impact on that end of the floor and he’s only going to get better with experience.

On offense, he is going to have some rough nights here and there. Teams are being physical with him and he’s just going to have to get stronger to deal with it. He’s also had some troubles when it comes to ball security, averaging 4.7 turnovers per game, and he definitely needs to work on that.

Wembanyama should be fine in the long run, though, but with all the hype that has come his way, every good and bad moment is going to be amplified.


Victor Wembanyama Revealed Why Gregg Popovich Yelled At Him During Their Game Against The Rockets

While Popovich has been singing Wembanyama’s praises all this time, it doesn’t mean he isn’t hard on him. The five-time NBA champion demands excellence from his players and holds them to a high standard. During the Spurs’ game against the Rockets on Friday night, Popovich was seen yelling at Wembanyama and the teenager explained the reason behind it.

“I forgot one play that we added today actually,” Wembanyama said. “So, it’s a rookie mistake. 100% legitimate for him to yell at me in that moment and I apologized after the game.”

Popovich would have absolutely loved to see Wembanyama take accountability. He is not someone who has a problem with being called out for making mistakes and instead, learns from them. It’s why I am very confident he is going to be a special player in the NBA, provided he stays healthy.

We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.

Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
Follow:
Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *