For the majority of the summer, there has been a spotlight on the San Antonio Spurs, as Victor Wembanyama, just 19 years old and yet to appear in an NBA game, is already a superstar. Fans flocked to the arena in Las Vegas for Wembanyama’s Summer League debut, selling out the gym and making it feel like a regular season game.
But Wembanyama isn’t the only player on the Spurs. Their Summer League squad is full of young talent, and one of the more intriguing stories has been Sir’Jabari Rice, who missed the team’s first slate of Summer League games with a medical issue, but made his debut on Friday night against the Detroit Pistons.
During a chat with Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express-News, Rice revealed that the Spurs contacted him around the 43rd pick in the draft, but when it wasn’t him, they told him they still wanted him around. And he’s excited about the opportunity.
“[The Spurs] had called right before the 43rd pick, I believe, and told me to stay warm a little bit,” Rice said. “And then the 43rd pick came and it wasn’t me, so I was just kind of optimistic about what was going to happen next. Then they called me as soon as the pick was over with and told me they wanted me to join the team. I have been excited since then.”
He also said he appreciated the Spurs’ tactical approach when it came to resting him in Summer League while he worked on his health.
“I love them for that, honestly,” Rice said. “I appreciate them for that. I’ve been really getting my rest, getting back to who I really am. I was there on the sidelines, and it looked like I had energy and was perfectly fine. But playing in a game and the physical aspect of it, we just wanted to take it slow and play the long game.”
In his debut against the Pistons, Rice put up 11 points, two rebounds, one assist, three steals, and one block while shooting 4-of-8 from the field and 1-of-5 from three.
The 24-year-old, 6-foot-4 guard clearly as potential. He’ll be on a two-way deal with the Spurs next season, and fans should be excited to see what he can do in the G League and with the main roster.
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