SAN ANTONIO — After the Spurs practiced Tuesday morning, star rookie Victor Wembanyama spent about 10 minutes answering questions on a variety of topics.
The Spurs have lost a dozen games in a row, but Wemby still sees progress toward the long-term goal. He spoke about growth, veteran advice, soccer, Jeremy Sochan at point guard, calmly learning from mistakes and more.
The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
How are you feeling about your progress and the team's? What gives you confidence you're moving in the right direction?
When I see the purpose every day, nobody in the whole staff - the players or the staff - everybody comes with a purpose and comes to do good at work, and everybody knows where we're going. Most of the people here have been through everything before so we're good, we're in good hands.
I hope you won't find this impertinent, but what's the greatest number of consecutive losses you've ever had before this?
Impertinent you said? What does that mean?
Um... smart-ass
Probably has to be when I was playing soccer, back then we didn't we really didn't have a good team.
What position did you play in soccer?
Goalie, I swear it wasn't my fault.
That makes sense you'd play goalie.
I could play any position though.
Anybody score on you?
Yeah, happens man. When you've gotta guard three-on-one fast breaks all day, it's tough.
Was that the position you wanted to play?
Yes, yeah.
You want to play goalie now?
If I played (soccer)?
No, basketball.
We can't do that, there's three seconds max.
What's the best piece of advice or encouragement that you've gotten from a veteran, maybe an opposing player?
The advice I get from great, successful people, it all revolves around the same thing. Obviously, they've been through many, many seasons and the seasons are so long, they always tell me to take my time and to be patient, but at the same time to not lose focus on the goal. It's gonna be hard, the season is very long, but that struggle every day is what makes us better.
Do you feel like individually you're as good as you thought you would be in your rookie year in the NBA?
Yeah, of course, you know, it's, I mean, I'm still learning every day, but I know I already got better since the beginning of the season and I know the beginning will not look like the end. As a team, I know we're gonna get so much better and also individually, I know. It's gonna be from month to month, game to game almost, it's going to be exponentially better.
What area specifically do you look at and say, 'This is where I've improved the most.'
I think what's satisfying so far is that all the areas that we've targeted, like with with the coaches, individual work, we've actually gotten better at it. And so it means we're not talking for nothing or doing work for nothing. I feel like I'm getting better every day. It makes sense since it's my rookie season, I'm a teenager, but this is probably the worst Victor we'll ever see if as I believe I keep getting better and better every year. So it's promising.
What's been happening when the other team goes on an extended run?
We've seen a lot of times coming back from halftime we've had some trouble keeping up with maybe the intensity right away, and other teams know it too so they try to attack us on that, but I think it all comes down to staying locked in and focused for 48 minutes.
What do you think of Jeremy Sochan at point guard and Pop doing something unconventional like that?
I don't have any problem doing things unconventional. This is something I believe in and, of course, the coach believes in so we know it's calculated and he's got it in control. And I think just like everyone in our team, Jeremy is getting better since the beginning of the season and he's actually holding himself accountable for learning and for the mistakes he's made and that we've all made. We're talking, we communicate and we're in a good way, a good way.
Has this first month of the season flown by or gone slowly because of the struggles?
It has flown by, but especially I'd say the first 10 games went just like that, and the losses add up quick too.
Does NBA Rookie of the month matter to you?
I'd rather have... no not really, not when we're losing.
Pop said the one of the things he likes about you is you put a mistake behind you, you go on to the next play, whether it's a mistake by you or a teammate. Is that essential for success? Not dwelling on it, just learning from it and moving on?
It really, really matters to me because I think the opposite would be a little bit selfish. I got my teammates around me and I can't put out that kind of energy. I do a mistake, I dribble my foot or my teammate does whatever, I don't have to show no emotion. Even when I miss a free throw I don't show no emotion. I want to put only... I want to give to my brothers and my teammates it's good energy and I don't have to show nothing of that (other stuff) on the court.
Has Tim Duncan reached out, and what advice is he giving you?
We run into each other regularly, and it's just like Manu and also Tony, many of the guys who still take care of us. They're not trying to school us, you know? They're still trying to be supportive and talk with us, maybe sometimes translate a little bit what the coach is trying to tell us because they've been through it. It's always good advice, but not too much of it.
How are you adjusting to life on the road in the NBA?
It's probably what I've been warned the most about the NBA, but honestly we're in such good conditions that we're alright. At the end of the day we can rest in the plane, we get treatment in the plane, at the hotels we get everything we need. At some point I had a little bit of trouble sleeping with all the time changes and different beds every night, but now I'm set, I'm good.