San Antonio Spurs · 9 notes
Khaman Maluach got more center minutes than Oso Ighodaro on Oct. 10, but Suns coach Jordan Ott said "the next night you never know." Ott called it the rookie's best performance yet. Phoenix ran its offense through him at times with Victor Wembanyama staying in the paint.
Victor Wembanyama's playmaking will be an every-night part of his game, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said, but with balance: "He's still got to set screens. He's still got to put pressure on the rim." Stephon Castle said they want Wembanyama "default aggressive."
Victor Wembanyama is initiating the Spurs' offense with the ball high after an offseason spent on shot creation. Mitch Johnson said postgame the spacing around him has to improve: "Need to be a lot better than we were at times... of spacing around him and playing off that."
Dylan Harper started for the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama: "It's not like we hadn't done it before... in practice... that worked out." Harper says a three-guard group with De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle will be "really hard to guard" but needs stops and rebounds to cover its size.
Spurs 2/3 Fox on the Spurs' three guards, rarely together until late in Finals games: "1,000%. We know we're gonna play together more this year." It will take rebounding, shooting and sharing the ball, he said. Tobias Harris adds a post game beyond Victor Wembanyama.
Victor Wembanyama, asked about endorsing sports betting companies: "Absolutely not. I will never do that. Honestly, I think it's very sad to see some players promote it." He said he has refused "much, much more money" than he has made for deals that did not fit his values.
Wembanyama on training with rugby players this summer: "it was inspiring to see how much of themselves they give." He said the Spurs' struggles weren't about physicality; handling physical playoff teams is mostly effort and going through uncomfortable things.
Asked in French about his influence as a young, Black star before French elections, Wembanyama said he's sure he'll have a role on those issues someday; for now he's building himself. He's also pushed for over a season for playoff-style scouting in big regular-season games.
Mitch Johnson on Billy Donovan joining his staff: "He's not kicking his feet up and telling stories. He's rolling his sleeves up and getting his hands dirty." Johnson said teams got physical with Victor Wembanyama most of all, and his young players have since toughened up.