SAN ANTONIO — As the San Antonio Spurs look to improve and emerge from the rebuild, forward Jeremy Sochan is looking to the new season with excitement, partly because of the new faces on the roster.
"It's exciting to start another season," Sochan told Polish outlet Flashscore. "We have some new faces, rookies, veterans, winners who will help us grow."
Those new faces include rookies Stephon Castle and Harrison Ingram, who'll be looking to impact the Spurs as they navigate and learn the NBA landscape.
However, the new veteran faces—Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes—will likely make an immediate impact, and Sochan wasted no time connecting with his new teammates and is eager to get on the court with them.
"I got in touch with Chris Paul when I was in Europe and I've also spoken to Harrison Barnes. They're good guys and great players, so I'm excited to work with them and get ready for the season," he said.
The new Spurs season is shaping up to be much-improved, coming off a 22-win 2023-24 season.
And Sochan is coming in rested and fully healthy after ankle surgery last season.
"While recovering from the ankle arthroscopy, I had a plan for each week of the summer. Before I joined the Polish national team and also afterwards, I was training individually all the time," he said to Polish website Flashpoint. "I worked with different coaches, including those I know from England. It was also good to see friends and family. You need to recharge your batteries and refresh yourself mentally."
Heading into year three, Sochan believes he has a lot to prove. He told Hero Magazine that he is setting his bar higher.
“I’m feeling good. I’m excited. It’s going to be my third year, and I feel like I’ve got a lot to show,"
Aside from a failed experiment at point guard last season, Sochan's areas of improvement begin with three-point shooting.
In the NBA, spacing is needed, especially for Victor Wembanyama to operate.
Sochan shot 31% from the three-point line last season. A marked improvement from his rookie season (25%) but still needs to get better heading into year three.
His overall shooting can also use some improvement. Last season, he connected at 41% shooting, which dropped from his rookie season (46%).
Defensively, he remains one of the better defenders on the roster.
Among sophomore players last season, he ranked fourth in deflections (1.8), second on contested shots (4.3), and third in contested three-point shots (2.7).
Of course, improvement will make Sochan a more valued player, and the additions of Paul and Barnes will help him and the Spurs rack up wins in the new season.
"I think our team does, too. We’ve got some older guys who I think will help us, [and we need to] evolve and keep winning," he said.
Overall, the Spurs' future is bright. Whether collectively or individually, the team may be in the rebuild phase, but step-by-step, the goal of returning to a perennial winning team is closer.
"You know, build that winning culture," said Sochan.