“Tim Duncan agreed to join Pop's coaching staff” - Marc Stein expects Victor Wembanyama to work with 5x NBA champion
Victor Wembanyama was visibly excited about the San Antonio Spurs getting the No. 1 pick in the draft. As he explained, there's a long history between the French people and the San Antonio Spurs thanks to the one and only Tony Parker.
With Victor Wembanyama practically already donning a Spurs jersey, the NBA community is already discussing what the team will look like with the big man. Considering the fact that the one and only Gregg Popovich will be coaching him, there's much excitement about how he will evolve his game under such a coach.
In addition, Marc Stein is reporting that Hall of Famer Tim Duncan has agreed to work with Victor Wembanyama when the Spurs are in town. The news marks the highly anticipated return of Duncan, who spent some time on Popovich's coaching staff prior to the 2019-20 NBA season being paused.
"At the behest of longtime Spurs patriarch Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan agreed to join Pop's coaching staff for the 2019-20 campaign interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. That one season was enough for Duncan to reaffirm what many suspected and what he surely already knew—full-time coaching isn't for him—
"But the expectation is that he will regularly visit the team's practice facility to work with Wembanyama when the Spurs are home."
Duncan, as arguably one of the greatest power forwards to play the game of basketball, will surely help the evolution of Wembanyama. Despite the fact that the budding young star is 7-foot-5, there are expectations that he winds up playing power forward given his frame.
Victor Wembanyama is eager to pursue a championship
Despite the fact that he's just a teenager, Victor Wembanyama is eager to pursue a championship with the San Antonio Spurs. After the team landed the first pick at the draft lottery, Wembanyama spoke with ESPN's Brian Windhorst, giving his thoughts on the news:
"A team player, I'm gonna do everything to win as many games as I can. I'm trying to win a ring ASAP, so be ready."
In one night, Wembanyama went from the future of the NBA, to the present, with the eyes of the league, and the world, focusing not just on him, but the Spurs as well.
For many, when the multifaceted big man steps foot on an NBA court, it will be the first time they've seen him play. For others, his arrival will be a long time coming. Early on in the 2022-23 NBA season, former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo who saw Wembanyama play alongside his younger brother, cautioned Serge Ibaka:
"This kid is going to be a problem. A big problem. I've never seen this before in my life. I saw him up close. He was on the same team as my brother Kostas. He's taller than Rudy Gobert. He can block shots like Rudy but shoot like KD. Bro, bro. Crazy, crazy. He has a good attitude. If he stays healthy, he's going to be really good."
With the countdown officially underway for the draft on June 22, one thing is certain, the NBA community is ready.