The San Antonio Spurs got the chance to take a look at a ton of their young talent during Summer League this year. Obviously, most eyes from the outside world were focused on Victor Wembanyama, who the Spurs selected with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. But for San Antonio, this was a great chance to watch their other young prospects play, too.
One player who stood out alongside Wembanyama was fellow rookie, and fellow Frenchman, Sidy Cissoko. The youngster drew comparisons to Spurs legend Manu Ginobili, showing a ton of promise with the ball in his hands and as a jack-of-all-trades on both ends of the court.
As Cissoko aims to focus his efforts on the defensive side of the ball, he said that he’s using Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan as an example.
“I take the example from Jeremy,” Cissoko said via Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “He is the crazy guy on the team, and I just try to be like him.”
Spurs assistant and Summer League head coach Matt Nielson also praised Cissoko’s play on the defensive end.
“That’s his mentality,” Nielsen said. “He takes pride in his defense. He took on the biggest challenge and did such a good job with it.”
Cissoko may not lead the team in scoring every night, but the impact he makes in all other areas stands out. Plus, he’s good for a few flashy plays every once and a while, making him not only an impact player, but a joy to watch.
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