Asked Victor if not winning Western Conf Rookie of the Month (Chet Holmgren) & ranking 7th among West front court players in All-Star voting fueled his performance tonight…
“Of course…
At the end of the day, I’m going to get what I deserve…
Every game is a statement now on”⬇️
Spurs postgame
Asked Victor a couple of questions about how OKC guarded him as opposed to him checking Chet.
“I never really play one on one’s. It’s one on two.”
Full answers to a couple of questions…
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs shoot-around
Give Boris Diaw a uniform! ⬇️
Boris, doing some work after practice w/Sandro & Malaki, goes to a move
#Spurs
fans have seen a time or two
Diaw is the GM of French Basketball & has been in town for several days w/leadership from their national team
#PorVida
Pop looking in on Jeremy Sochan putting in some work at Summer League practice before going over and doing a little coaching.
Very common for Pop to attend
#Spurs
Summer League practice. Was very visible today.
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
As if
#Spurs
fans couldn't love Patty Mills anymore...
Asked Patty his initial thoughts on
#VictorWembanyama
...
"...Hopefully there will be more banners hanging up in the rafters because of him..."
Expanded answer⬇️
Full interview, including talk about the 2014 team later
Spurs practice
Afterward, Keldon Johnson taking center stage, looking to prove to a couple of teammate that he could go between the legs on a dunk.
The result ⬇️
Devin Vassell, Tre, Jones, Cedi Osman and Devonte’ Graham looking on and reacting.
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
At
#Spurs
shoot-around
Pop working with
#VictorWembanyama
on positioning, footwork & movement on the block.
Pop demonstrates for Wemby before having Victor run through it a couple of times. A ‘there you go’ from Pop at the end with Vic acknowledgement. ⬇️
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Becky Hammon on Pop:
“I’m especially thankful to Pop, who only cared about my potential, not my gender. He saw something special in me and was willing to invest the time and energy to help teach and develop a young coach.”
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Jeremy Sochan tried for some love from the Portland bench after the acrobatic bucket for an and 1. The Blazers weren’t in the mood. ⬇️
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
“My favorite place I've lived for sure, by far...I've lived in some pretty big cities...the people, the organization, just all align with each other...Regardless of what happens...enjoyed my time here..would love to be here forever”
-Doug McDermott
Story⬇️
Cool moment just now at Frost Bank Center
As he wrapped up pregame work, Knicks star Jalen Brunson walked over to sign a Knicks Wu -Tang jersey for Jeremy Cruz
As great as Jeremy’s reaction is⬇️, best part is he’s from CT, stationed at Fort Sam, serving our country in the Army
Check out how just about every
#Spurs
player, and even a couple members of the Jazz, came over to Josh Primo as soon as the final buzzer sounded.
The crowd started chanting "Primo, Primo, Primo" in the waning seconds
#GoSpursGo
Spurs shoot-around
#VictorWembanyama
hitting 6 straight 3’s from a couple different spots while getting some shots up after practice.⬇️
#Wemby
and the
#Spurs
go for their first 3-game winning streak of the season tonight when they host Washington.
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs post-game
Count
#VictorWembanyama
among the many victims of the Texas allergens…
“….been like this for two days…”
A stuffed-up sounding Vic ⬇️
#PorVida
Asked Victor Wembanyama about his reaction on the bench - putting those two long arms up in joy - as the
#Spurs
broke the 18-game losing streak tonight.
“I’m addicted to winning. This is what I love…”
Extended answer ⬇️
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs shoot-around
⬇️ Wemby with his arm around Pop, taking in something off a laptop. Had been like this for a bit before this video started.
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs post-game
Pop says this was the best win of the year
Also, asked him if he’s applying the ‘Manu rule’ to Vic in biting his lip when
#Wemby
tries some of the stuff he does
“Having that freedom for people like Jeremy and Victor is important”
Full answer ⬇️
#Spurs
#PorVida
Amid reports that the
#Spurs
are interested in bringing back Dejounte Murray…
Talked for a bit w/DJ when the Hawks were here in late November⬇️
-how he views SA
-how he describes his time w/the Spurs
-how often he communicates with KJ, Dev, etc
-early thoughts on Wemby
#PorVida
As awesome as his tribute video was, don’t know if anything says Wemby is truly a Spur more than this…
@JMcDonald_SAEN
asked him to elaborate on what he talked w/students about today
Watch how geeked out 20-year-old Vic gets & then explains Dark Matter in his second language⬇️
Spurs post-game
Asked Vic if he thinks he’s hit another gear…
“This is stuff I wouldn’t have been able to do in the first game…”
And if he allows himself to think about where he could be as soon as next season…
“I’m not even close to being at my best…”
Complete answers⬇️
Spurs shoot-around
Asked Cedi Osman if what the
#Spurs
have done the last couple of games leaves him with some wonder…
“If the season would start tonight, I think we’d be in a much different situation than we are right now…”
Complete answer ⬇️
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs postgame
Asked
#VictorWembsbyama
if, considering numbers he’s putting up in limited time, he truly is trying to make every game a ‘statement from now on’ as he told me last week…
“I’ve been trying to be locked in on every play…
…I’m not talking for nothing”
Answer ⬇️
Spurs post-game
Asked Zach Collins about Coach JB Bickerstaff’s comments that the incident with Mitchell was a dirty play on Collins’ part…
Zach’s response:
“It probably was.”
Adds it’ll be worth the fine
Entire thought, including Zach’s description of what happened⬇️
#Spurs
Yes, Wemby should've taken that shot and they threw it away right after. And they got blitzed for most of the 4th.
But I feel pretty comfortable saying this...
The last 2 games, I think, is what
#Spurs
fans expected a lot of this season.
That they've both been L's is secondary
Spurs shoot-around
⬇️ Pop, while observing
#VictorWebanyama
, talks with shooting coach Jimmy Baron.
To end clip and then after, Pop walks to the other side and starts chatting with assistant coach Mitch Johnson, while both continue to watch Wemby.
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
At the Frost Bank Center
Asked
#VictorWembanyama
what he’s most proud of in a rookie season that exceeded extremely high expectations…
“…the unique stat lines in wins…leading the league in blocks…”
Complete answer ⬇️
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs shoot-around
Manu looking in on Malaki Branham drills post practice, providing a tip or two. Branham has fallen out of the rotation recently with a couple of DNP’s in the
#Spurs
last couple of games.
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
At
#Spurs
practice
How’s that saying go…
‘First one in, last one out.’
Wasn’t here before practice but we got let in to the gym about an hour ago, which signifies the end of organized practice, and
#VictorWembanyama
just wrapped post practice work. ⬇️
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Just now:
#Spurs
DeMar DeRozan on kneeling during the anthem, says it's frustrating that it's still viewed as disrespectful. Reiterates that it's all about the injustices throughout history to today.
#GoSpursGo
Talked w/Vic about his rookie season to this point
What he’s learned that he didn’t expect:
“…hardest battle isn’t the physical one, it’s more mentally…
Fighting because somebody else in front of you wants to kill you…”
Answer⬇️
Story w/more comments coming
#Spurs
#PorVida
Spurs shoot-around
With the
#Spurs
set to take on the Thunder, asked Cedi Osman if he sees how
#Wemby
tends to take these kinds of match-ups (vs Chet Holmgren tonight) personally…
“We love to see him like that..”
Complete answer ⬇️
#GoSpursGo
#Porvida
Spurs post-game
Classic Keldon Johnson
@tom_orsborn
asked if he thought about going after the bat.
Enjoy an answer that includes…
“I’m borderline scared of the dark…”
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Pop on Gregg Abbott & LT Gov Dan Patrick when asked about NBA Bubble vs TX
"...no overall policy, no principal. It's all about politics. It's all about what's good for them. And them, mostly means Trump because they're all cowards and they're all afraid of him."
Entire answer⬇️
Spurs post-game
Asked
#VictorWembanyama
about becoming the youngest player in
#NBA
history with a 40/20 game in his latest statistically historic performances this season…
Talked about his desire to:
“Be unique and different and do things never seen before”
Complete answer⬇️
Spurs post-game
After Jeremy Sochan described Wemby as f***ing Vic in talking about his defensive prowess, asked him if he steps back to notice that
#VictorWembanyama
is normalizing stats that aren’t…
“We’re so used to it…”
Full answer ⬇️
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#porVida
At
#Spurs
shootaround
Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson working with
#Wemby
on setting the screen, then reading the defender on the baseline. ⬇️
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
At
#Spurs
shoot-around
⬇️
#VictorWembsnyams
is not on the team’s injury report after being held out of Wednesday’s game at Oklahoma City and some initial uncertainty from Pop on whether he’d play tonight.
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs shoot-around
Asked Dev, who used Rising Stars snub as motivation couple years ago, if
#Wemby
might take same approach if not selected an All-Star…
“I feel like he’s going to prove a point. And I don’t know what them numbers are going to look like after that.”⬇️
#PorVida
At Frost Bank Center
Asked Pop before today’s season finale if
#VictorWembanyama
exceeded his expectations, whatever they might have been…
“He has those Tim Duncan qualities of innate basketball IQ with a fire that he wants to be the best”
Complete answer ⬇️
#Spurs
#PorVida
Just now...
#UTSA
@CoachTraylor
on keeping his team from 'eating the cheese': says this week will be the hardest, adding...
"If you all need me to drink a whole gallon of queso to prove what that will do to a human, I will do whatever it takes to get their attention"
#BirdsUp
At Frost Bank Center
Following today’s regular season finale, Wemby and
#Spurs
teammates throwing signed merchandise from the court to fans. ⬇️
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Just now...
#Spurs
post-game availability following loss
Josh Richardson on future:
"...if they (Spurs) bring me back, I'm going to be prepared o lead vocally, lead by example....work my butt every summer to get better at the things I'm not as good at..."
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
They are one of only a handful of teams throughout entire country that played 12 games this season. They played 2 Top 20 teams down to the wire. Some might call these moral victories. I just think they’re indications of where this program is and where it’s headed.
#UTSA
#BirdsUp
Spurs post-game
Asked Vic if facing his mentor gets him extra fired up…
“Tonight it was more about playing the number one seed…”
And
If it’s the best
#Spurs
win of the season…
“Get used to the feeling so we can repeat it.”
Full answers⬇️
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Maybe it's fitting that
#UTSA
wins its 1st bowl w/
@thefrankharris
&
@RashadWisdom
watching
They're leaving the school much better than they found it
A bowl w for a program that won 32 g's & 2 conf titles in last 3 years
Tons of teams would trade places w/the 'Runners
#BirdsUp
UTSA is ranked
#25
in this week's USA Today's Coaches Poll
They're one spot behind Clemson and ahead of these programs: Texas, LSU, Florida, Arkansas, BYU, Arizona State, Iowa State
#UTSA
#BirdsUp
W/trade deadline approaching, given how his game fits what contenders need, asked Doug McDermott if he almost expects to get ‘the call’
“Shooting’s at a premium…I can do it with best of them. At the same time…think there’s a lot of potential in the future here”
Full answer⬇️
Spurs practice
Talked with Malaki Branham about Victor asserting himself more over the last couple of games, highlighted last night…
“I’ve been telling him…I’ve been in his ear…”
Full thoughts ⬇️
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
For those who ask why media continues to ask Pop ‘political’ questions, how’s this:
He’s...
1. Team USA’s HC, meaning he literally represents the country
2. not only 1 of the best coaches who ever lived, he’s a military vet
3. one of the smartest, most eloquent figures in sports
Spurs shoot-around
⬇️ Jeremy Sochan working well after
Was working on catch-and-shoot corner 3’s from each side before working on the other side of the lane.
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs post-game
Clarified w/Devin on that final play. I heard something in initial answer that made me wonder who was supposed to look for Vic…
“…if I’d see Vic slip out of the screen, but there was nobody in front of me so I took that shot.”
Whole answer⬇️
#Spurs
#PorVida
Spurs post-game
Pop on whether they got the shot they wanted at the end in this 114-113 loss to the Pelicans…
“…We’d rather throw it to the rim and go dunk it but that’s the shot we got.”
-Pop
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
One of
@BurbankFBall
's best players, he just qualified for state in a sport he picked up only 3 months ago - and became 1st
@SAISDBurbankHS
person to do so in wrestling. What he's representing
@SAISD
is what matters most
@SAISDAthletics
. Full story soon on
Talked with Dejounte Murray for a bit. Full interview coming soon
In this clip,
amid things he's said about his time with the
#Spurs
, how he views his experience in SA
&
keeping in touch w/former teammates:
"Nothing changes but the jersey..."
Complete answers on both topics⬇️
#UTSA
Football receives votes in either of the Top 25 polls for the first time in school history. The Roadrunners received two votes in this week’s AP poll. They’re 2-0 following a 24-10 win vs. SFA to start the
@CoachTraylor
era.
#BirdsUp
At Frost Bank Center
Wemby warming up as Derrick White walks onto the court. Big embraces from
#Spurs
staffers, including assistant coach Mitch Johnson, for the fan favorite who spent the first 4 1/2 seasons of his
#NBA
career here.
#GoSpursGo
#Porvida
Spurs practice
#VictorWembanyama
on if Tim Duncan has reached out with some advice...
"...Just like Manu and, also, Tony. Many of the guys who still take care of us...it's always good advice.
Full answer⬇️
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs practice
Asked
#VictorWembanyama
if it seems like the first month of his rookie year with the
#Spurs
has gone by quickly and whether
#NBA
Rookie of the Month matters to him…
“Not at all when you’re losing”
Full answers ⬇️
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Per this story⬇️, the
#Spurs
dynamic shifts when Devin’s available. Here’s a clip before the team’s shootaround ahead of the 2nd LAC game, which marked Dev’s return from a three-game absence. Some fun picking up Tre w/KJ after they, along with Cedi, were chatting with Brett Brown
Game Day
#Spurs
are in San Francisco for a quick two-game swing out west that includes Den
Devin Vassell good to go after returning from a 3-game absence by scoring 18 in 27 mins in Wed's L to the Clippers. It continues an SA trend to start this season⬇️
Here's the best way I can think of to describe Primo so far w/o getting carried away:
Had he been a Top 3 pick & had this been a nat'l TV game, the narrative would be that in his first several minutes he's shown the potential as to why he's so highly regarded
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
The guys the
#Spurs
have traded for (Osman, Bullock, Payne) are type of player they'd typically add during titles run
So they're stockpiling this type of player - w/expiring contracts - w/eye on contenders looking to make moves, while adding picks in process
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Been covering the
#Spurs
since ‘05 & this might’ve been the most bizarre day in that time. Not the most consequential, but probably the strangest
Started by learning the team held a players only meeting over the wknd & then Pop grabbed a mic in game to tell fans not to boo Kawhi
All three
#UTSA
touchdowns so far have been scored by San Antonio area guys. Frank (Clemens), Sincere (Judson) and Brenden (Steele).
A hold on the
#210
#BirdsUp
Wemby on joining the
#Spurs
legacy of David Robinson and Tim Duncan as
#NBA
Rookie of the Year winners…
“It always something that pushes me even more to carry on the great accomplishments of the past players…”
Full answer ⬇️
Video from Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
At the Frost Bank Center
Those darn cables just on the other side of the baseline pregame. Almost caused Manu to trip!
Doesn’t matter that he’s still with the organization, will forever be treated like he’s being seen for the first time in months.
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs practice
Asked Devin if he’s already seeing the effects of his increased aggression in getting to the rim…
“Even when the thee-ball is going down, I’m not just relying on that…”
Full answer ⬇️
#Spurs
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs practice
Pop has continuously said he’s simply letting
#VictorWebanyama
play as Vic starts to find comfort zones in the
#NBA
As he continues to work from different spots on the floor, talked w/Victor about how that plan is working for him.⬇️
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
#Spurs
Just now
#UTSA
Jeff Traylor
"When the season started, we said...Some team at UTSA is gonna be the first one to ever win a conference championship. Why not us. We checked that box. There's gonna be another team...gonna be the first one to ever win a bowl game. Why not us?
#BirdsUp
Spurs shoot-around
Asked Doug McDermott if the
#Spurs
have a ‘calm things down’ even keel type guy…
Says there are 2 guys ⬇️
-One is the youngest player on the team (though prob not surprising)
-the other surrounds a change to the starting line up
#GoSpursGo
#Wemby
#PorVida
Rest In Peace, Michael De Leon
A good man who was quick with praise and mentored many.
At a time when everyone wanted to cover the Spurs, he took on the Silver Stars & Scorpions. Said tons about him. Enjoyed seeing him and chatting when we’d cross paths.
Prayers for his family
The
#Spurs
unveil their 2023-24 Nike NBA City Edition uniforms...⬇️
Also, it feels like this crew needs a nickname.
With a little word play in homage to the franchise's fabled set play, how's '4 Down' ?
#GoSpursGo
#PorVida
Spurs postgame
After talking about his team’s inability to play consistently for stretches, Pop said some of it is youth, but added..,
“Part of it is probably I need to demand from certain people it’s time they have to be more consistent or I make changes”⬇️
#Spurs
#PorVida