“Basketball first” is Victor Wembanyama’s mantra.
During the San Antonio Spurs media day, Victor Wembanyama expressed his clear intentions for his approach to his first NBA season. Prioritising improvement in the sport was the goal.
Wembanyama, who gained notoriety long before the draft, reportedly knew that his goal was to assist the Spurs in returning to the postseason, which they last visited in 2019. Mike Monroe of The Athletic claims this.
“I believe that both my teammates and I got to know each other rather soon. I don’t care about it, as they know. I’m willing to give up everything for them, and I have faith that they will do the same for me when it comes time. They understand that it’s unique. Ultimately, though, when we’re at practice and I’m thinking, “Yeah, what can we do today to make this team better?” there will undoubtedly be a lot of focus. Basketball is up first, then.”
Who the other starters are beside Wembanyama is a mystery to the team. The inclusion of Khem Birch, Jeremy Sochan, and Keldon Johnson on the suspect list has sparked discussion about who would start alongside the Frenchman.
Despite this, Spurs supporters are still very confident in Victor Wembanyama, and even if it’s only the preseason, it will be interesting to see if he can finish his debut with a victory.
The San Antonio Spurs’ first preseason game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Centre will feature Victor Wembanyama as the centre of attention. The French sensation and the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is now scheduled to start on the road against the Thunder on Monday, October 9, having earlier shown 13,200 fans what he was capable of during an open scrimmage.
Wembanyama will now play against Chet Holmgren, who adds an extra element of ferocity to his game following a lacklustre Summer League start. Regarding the rookie for the Spurs, his defensive role will come up for discussion. He has demonstrated his defensive awareness and game sense; now he will put them to the test against a youthful Oklahoma squad.
During preseason games, rookies often get to play for longer stretches of time on the court. However, with the excitement around the San Antonio Big, there’s a good chance he’ll play longer in every preseason game to get a sense of how regular season games actually unfold.
