Victor Wembanyama hit the court for the first time this week with the San Antonio Spurs, and the No. 1 pick admitted there has been a great deal thrown at him.
Wembanyama arrived at the start of training camp refreshed and ready to go with the Spurs. He took time off after his stint in the NBA Summer League and called this past offseason perhaps the most important one of his career thus far.
Joining a new team in a different league will present its fair share of challenges for Wembanyama. There will be an adjustment period involving several factors, such as learning a new playbook.
“(The information) is coming very, very fast,” Wembanyama said. “The set plays, principals — a lot of stuff I’ve never seen before that I don’t know. It is hard but you got to be focused when you’re on the court because if you lose attention one second, you’re screwed for the next 15 minutes.”
The Spurs are using training camp to determine how Wembanyama will be used on the court. Head coach Gregg Popovich admitted this week it will be “cool” to figure out if Wembanyama would best be utilized as a center, power forward or small forward.
As is the case with most players, Wembanyama doesn’t seem to be all that concerned with which position he’ll play the most. He believes he can fit into nearly every role on the court.
It just goes without saying that I’m sometimes playing the same role as (point guard) Tre Jones, sometimes the same as (center) Zach Collins (or) sometimes as (forward) Devin Vassell. There are really no limitations. On a lot of set plays, on a lot plays, it really depends on where you are but I can be the point guard just like I can be the wing. It doesn’t matter.
While the on-court product takes shape, Wembanyama is enjoying the accommodations made possible by playing in the NBA. He admitted that his life was rather hectic with Metropolitans 92 and that he wasn’t just a player but that he also acted as a general manager of sorts.
Suffice it to say: The Spurs are taking care of him.
“I got to worry about a (expletive) ton of less stuff,” Wembanyama said. “I’m really more free. When I come in the morning, I know there are going to be (trainers) and coaches to take care of me no matter the hour of the day so my mind is more at rest than last year.”
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