SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs on Monday opened their NBA preseason slate in Oklahoma City that featured a matchup of high-draft picks Chet Holmgren of the Thunder and Victor Wembanyama of the silver and black.
San Antonio would eventually fall in a one-point contest, but the Spurs still came away with a better understanding of what they’re working with as the coaching staff tries to establish potential line ups ahead of the regular season.
On Wednesday morning, the silver and black hit the court for practice inside of the Victory Capital Performance Center a couple days removed from the preseason opener.
Here are three takeaways from the Spurs mid-week practice:
- The Spurs boast a very versatile line up with players up and down the roster capable of pushing the ball up the court. With that, the Spurs are using the preseason to build chemistry to make sure that versatility translates well in live-game action.
- The 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick, Wembanyama, finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds and one blocked shot in 19 minutes against OKC. It’s evident Wemby’s wingspan and overall length will pose challenges for other teams, but we’re still unsure where the French phenom will best fit: on the wing or in the post. These next few preseason games will likely help Head Coach Gregg Popovich decide where Vic will best fit. Maybe both.
- It can’t be understated how infectious the energy is surrounding the Spurs’ squad. After practice, guard Devin Vassell could be seen sharing laughs with San Antonio legend Manu Ginobili, and the team appears confident in the direction the organization is headed -- even if it takes more than a season or two to fully come to fruition.
The Spurs next face the Miami Heat at the Frost Bank Center at 6:30 p.m. Friday.