San Antonio Spurs players Victor Wembaneyama, 1, and Chris Paul, 3, pose for a photo during the NBA basketball team’s media day on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in San Antonio. . (AP Photo/Darren Abert)
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs tried to give David Robinson and Tim Duncan everything they needed to develop quickly, but they were a little lacking when it came to their newest superstar, Victor Wembaneyama.
Robinson and Duncan had veteran players like Paul Pressey, Terry Porter, and Avery Johnson to mentor them during their early years in the NBA. A 20-year-old rookie, Wenbanyama’s teammates were mostly around the same age and had only one to three years of experience.
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“I’m going to think about the guys that came when Timmy, Manu (Ginobili) and Tony (Parker) were here,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “The players who have been in the league for a while had good examples to look up to. That’s important in player development. These guys, for the most part, never really had that. Victor Even though it’s clear he’s very talented, he needs it just like all the other young guys.”
Read: NBA free agency begins, Chris Paul joins Spurs’ Wenbanyama
Enter Chris Paul to end the question about San Antonio’s veteran leadership.
“I have watched him grow up a lot,” Wenbanyama said. “He’s a player that I actually remember watching as a kid. I’m really excited just to spend (a) week here with him. We all learned a lot. We all knew he was going to fit in with us, but we knew he was going to do his best to fit in with us and teach us from day one. ”
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The Spurs signed Paul and traded for Harrison Barnes last season to help develop the league’s youngest team. Paul and Harrison bring a combined 33 years of playing experience and 220 playoff games to the team, which hopes to break a five-year playoff drought.
“I think the biggest thing I want to bring to this team is competitiveness,” Paul said. “We talk about it all the time. Playing hard is a talent, but it’s not enough. This team here has already shown the ability to play hard and compete night in and night out, but from now on, it’s a talent. We have to find a way to win.”
The Spurs have won 22 games in each of the past two seasons, and hopes of making the playoffs are high thanks to the unique talent of the 7-foot-3 Wembane Yama. Before the current rut, San Antonio tied an NBA record with 22 consecutive playoff appearances under Robinson and Duncan.
Read: NBA: Wembane Yama sets historic numbers for Spurs in rookie year
Paul, in his 20th season, has long been considered one of the league’s great floor leaders. He was named All-NBA 10 times, including four first-team selections, was named to the All-Defensive First Team seven times, was named an All-Star 12 times, and led the league in assists five times.
“His IQ is off the charts,” Popovich said. “It was always difficult to play against him because he thought ahead of the coach.”
More importantly for San Antonio, Paul has spent his entire career as a point guard in New Orleans, starting in 2008 when he was named Rookie of the Year.
The Spurs tried unsuccessfully to convert power forward Jeremy Sochan to the starting point guard last season. San Antonio started the season with a 3-20 record as Sochan struggled to learn a position he had never played before at any level.
The experiment also slowed Wembaneyama as he started out at power forward and then shifted to center to begin his ascent to Rookie of the Year honors.
Wenbanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals, and became the youngest player to lead the league with 3.6 blocks per game. He also became the first player in league history to achieve 1,500 points, 250 blocks, and 100 3-pointers in a season, and the only player in league history to achieve 30 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 blocks, joining Duncan and Robinson. He became a rookie. In the game.
Read: Wembane Yama becomes first rookie named to NBA First Team All-Defense
“He’s a dog,” Sochan said of Wenbanyama. “That’s what defines him. What he does on the court is unbelievable, but it’s because of the work he does (off the court). When there’s no cameras and no people around, he’s mentally active. Just the physical work that goes into it, it’s amazing to see.”
What can Paul do to make Wenbanyama even better? Teach him how to dunk, Paul joked.
“For me being with him, it’s going to be about helping him settle down more,” Paul said. “As a rookie like him, coming here with all the expectations on his shoulders and knowing he’s going to play as well as he’s been and what’s expected of him this year, I’m just going to help him grow if I can.” I think I can help if I can and in any way I can.”
The opportunity to start was a big factor in Paul signing with the Spurs. The 39-year-old started a career-low 18 games for the Warriors.
At 39 years old, Paul is by far the oldest player on the Spurs roster, and his younger teammates are making sure he knows it.
Rookie Stephon Castle reminded Paul that he attended youth camp and joked that his father, Stacey, played with him at Wake Forest — Stacey actually played with Duncan. Keldon Johnson also ceded number three to Paul, which led to the 24-year-old choosing that number in the first place.
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“Aside from playing hoops and basketball, we spend a lot of time with each other,” Paul said. “We have a great group together, I can honestly say that and I mean it.”
