SAN ANTONIO — It was NBA Rising Stars Game Media Day 2023 and San Antonio Spurs' Jeremy Sochan was present with a new-look hair color and a belief his fellow Spurs rookie, Malakai Branham, should be with him in Utah.
"I personally think he deserved it. It is what it is at the end of the day," Sochan said. "It's something he can't control. It's something we can't control. He's still getting the recognition that he deserves. It's unfortunate that he's not here."
The NBA recently announced that Chicago Bulls' Ayo Dosunmu will replace injured Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green on Team Deron and Rockets rookie Tari Eason will replace Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren on Team Joakim in the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars.
Branham's recent play definitely could have pushed him into the conversation to join Sochan.
Branham scored in double-figures in four-straight games before the NBA All-Star Break (including a pair of 20-plus point outings) and through eight games played in February, he is averaging 18.1 points per game along with 51% field goal shooting and 41% three-point field goal shooting.
"I think everyone has seen it. He's been doing extremely well in the past month or so," said Sochan.
ALAMODOME GAME OPENED SOCHAN EYES
Sochan admits the record-breaking Alamodome game was his "welcome to the NBA" moment as he was just astonished at how many Spurs fans were in attendance.
"I think it was the Alamodome game. Just seeing how many people came out and of course, playing the Warriors who are the defending champions," he said. "I think that game was the 'oh snap' this is the NBA. It was crazy."
The Spurs made NBA history with an all-time regular-season attendance record with over 68,000 fans in the dome.
NEW HAIR COLOR
Sochan is sporting a new-look hair color for the Rising Stars Game.
He says he was up at 6 a.m. to get the process going with his hair stylist to have it ready for its debut in Utah.
"It's like kind of wavy, different colors," Sochan said. "Looking through different hairstyles and something my hair stylist was saying to do so why not!"
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