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The highlight of the San Antonio Spurs‘ offseason was undoubtedly their selection of Victor Wembanyama with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The 19-year-old Frenchman is a generational talent who is set to lead the Spurs into the future, but he’s not the only player on the roster.
Despite recording the third-worst record in franchise history this past season, the Spurs have some solid prospects on the roster. Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, and Tre Jones all have potential, but perhaps the most intriguing player on the Spurs’ roster (outside of Wembanyama) is soon-to-be sophomore forward Jeremy Sochan, who just wrapped up a solid rookie campaign.
Matt Guzman of Inside the Spurs even believes that Sochan could have a chance to win the Defensive Player of the Year award next season.
“Defensive Player of the Year? For Sochan?
“It’s possible, especially if the rising second-year forward continues to develop his game — and play more of them — in his second season with San Antonio. It may not happen next season, but the idea is something to keep watch for. Sochan has already drawn comparisons to Dennis Rodman, after all — and not just for his hair.
“Sochan crashes the boards with an aggressiveness that makes the comparison make sense. His defense-first mindset only adds to that, and he backs it up on the court. But he’ll need more than just the mindset and a rookie-year showing to join some of the league’s top defenders on the DPOY ladder.
“And that’s exactly what he hopes to do in his second season with the Spurs,” Guzman wrote.
Do you think Sochan could win DPOY next year?
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