So with all the attention on Wemby (justifiably so) I noticed Pop started Sochan at PG. Preseason experiment or will that big lineup stick?
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Last: 7 mo ago by boognish_bear
I'm from the San Antonio area and the Spurs were my first love. I follow the team pretty close. One of my buddies was telling me earlier this year right after we got Wemby in the draft that he felt like Pop was going to try to run Sochan as a point forward. At least in certain lineups. Excited to see if that makes the rotation in season.
Yeah I keep hearing this lineup will stick. That will be a lot of fun watching Sochan throwing lobs to the best prospect to ever play the game.
When you start using the phrase "best prospect ever" I would cite a bit of history.Crawfoso1973 said:
Yeah I keep hearing this lineup will stick. That will be a lot of fun watching Sochan throwing lobs to the best prospect to ever play the game.
In 1969, the Milwaukee Bucks managed to lose enough games to get the 1st pick--Kareem Abdul Jabbar. In his rookie season, Kareem played 82 games, averaged 43minutes, 28.8ppg, 14.5reb., 4.3assists, taking the Bucks to the playoffs and the eastern division finals. The next season, he averaged 31ppg, 16 reb., and they won the title.
If Wembanyama gets anywhere close to those results, Spurs fans will be very happy.
Ha ha yeah your point well taken. Maybe I should have said "modern era." Is debatable between Wemby and maybe Lebron as far as best generational prospect coming in as a rookie.
And the statement "best prospect ever" does not translate to "will be the best player ever." What it means is that no one at his age has had as much attention or as much hype as he has had and no one has ever had the level of expectations that he has had in terms of what people view his potential impact on the game would be.Crawfoso1973 said:
Ha ha yeah your point well taken. Maybe I should have said "modern era." Is debatable between Wemby and maybe Lebron as far as best generational prospect coming in as a rookie.
I don't think anyone would say, "Wemby is going to be better than Kareem." That would be an absurd thing to say at this point in time.
But to say that the expectations are higher for Wemby in terms of potential than they even were for Kareem is probably true. And that is due to the affect of the internet. We know so much more about young players and we know about their entire history, development, etc. at a much sooner time than we did back in 1969. It's a 24/7 sports news cycle revolving around players and prospects. The advent of specific sports television channels rather than just having games broadcast on 3 major networks stations also changes things.
I think the only player that has come into the league with as much hype, expectations and that was viewed as a player that could change the game at this early of an age is LeBron. No doubt that Kareem changed the game and could be argued as one of the three most important basketball players of all time. But I'm not sure the hype was at the level of Wemby due to cultural factors that exist today that didn't then.
I'd disagree with this. The hype on Kareem was unbelievableQuote:
But to say that the expectations are higher for Wemby in terms of potential than they even were for Kareem is probably true.
Wemby is more ideally suited to today's game than almost any big man we have seen arrive as a very young player. Wilt and Kareem were both phenoms in high school, able to play even up or even above the level of the professionals of their day. Wilt did not have the coaching or the seasoning that Kareem had, but athletically we have never seen his like.
Kareen was not eligible as a frosh to play varsity, or he would have won four NCAA Championships rather than three, and four MVPs to go with it. He debuted his conference with a 63 point performance as a sophomore, and the NCAA promptly passed a no-dunk rule in college ball which lasted for well over a decade.
John Wooden was once asked who among the many great All Americans he had coached was the best, and he replied, "Lewis (Alcindor) was the Most Valuable. I did not say he was the best, I said he was the most valuable." He was as smart as he was gifted, and had the three point line existed in his earlier years, he might well have developed that skill as he did the famous sky hook, still considered to be the most unstoppable shot that was ever deployed.
American basketball aficionados were denied the opportunity to see one of the talented young players who, in Europe, commanded much the same respect and admiration that Wemby does today. He was Arvydas Sabonis, the Lithuanian phenom that we heard a lot about, but because he did not come to the NBA until late in his career, after weight and injuries made him less effective out away from the basket when he played with the Portland Trailblazers, we never saw him at his most effective stage of play. At 7'3", he could run the floor, a great shooter from almost anywhere on the offensive end, always a superlative passer, a very fine rebounder, and possessed a solid understanding of the game and how he should play it. It is possible that he was comparable to Wemby, but only European observers of a certain age would know about that. I saw him when he was a pale reflection of what he had been and I thought even then that he belonged in the conversation when we talked about comparisons of the men of size who were so important in the older game.
Wemby will be a great addition to the NBA. He is a pleasure to watch perform, intelligent and highly skilled, with what appears to be an ideal temperament and demeanor. The only real question that lingers over men of his size and comparative skill is longevity, and that depends on health. Bill Walton was as good in college as anyone I have ever seen, and his early years in the NBA clearly marked him out as unique in his intelligence and his skill set. What no one in the general public knew was that his feet were not suited to the pounding that basketball imposes, and his career was blighted, and then ended, by that physical condition.
All the great big men were fortunate in the area of general health and physicality, so genetics and good fortune are determinative factors in longevity. That is why taking a big man at the very top of the draft, like taking a pitcher high in the baseball draft, is known to be a major risk, but one that franchises are willing to take. One could ask Portland about that -- they passed over Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant to take a big man who, it was hoped, would anchor their interior for a decade or more. Never happened ----
Wemby will play out on the floor, with forays into the paint at both ends of the floor. That has both advantage and disadvantage for a player, but today's game finds many outstanding big men with the skills required to do well out there. The wear and tear is problematical, and long careers like that of Dirk Nowitzke Kevin Durant show that it can be done, though at some cost along the way. I wish the very best for Wemby, not only because he is a great talent, but because he appears to be exceptionally well grounded and will represent the game and his franchise admirably.
Kareen was not eligible as a frosh to play varsity, or he would have won four NCAA Championships rather than three, and four MVPs to go with it. He debuted his conference with a 63 point performance as a sophomore, and the NCAA promptly passed a no-dunk rule in college ball which lasted for well over a decade.
John Wooden was once asked who among the many great All Americans he had coached was the best, and he replied, "Lewis (Alcindor) was the Most Valuable. I did not say he was the best, I said he was the most valuable." He was as smart as he was gifted, and had the three point line existed in his earlier years, he might well have developed that skill as he did the famous sky hook, still considered to be the most unstoppable shot that was ever deployed.
American basketball aficionados were denied the opportunity to see one of the talented young players who, in Europe, commanded much the same respect and admiration that Wemby does today. He was Arvydas Sabonis, the Lithuanian phenom that we heard a lot about, but because he did not come to the NBA until late in his career, after weight and injuries made him less effective out away from the basket when he played with the Portland Trailblazers, we never saw him at his most effective stage of play. At 7'3", he could run the floor, a great shooter from almost anywhere on the offensive end, always a superlative passer, a very fine rebounder, and possessed a solid understanding of the game and how he should play it. It is possible that he was comparable to Wemby, but only European observers of a certain age would know about that. I saw him when he was a pale reflection of what he had been and I thought even then that he belonged in the conversation when we talked about comparisons of the men of size who were so important in the older game.
Wemby will be a great addition to the NBA. He is a pleasure to watch perform, intelligent and highly skilled, with what appears to be an ideal temperament and demeanor. The only real question that lingers over men of his size and comparative skill is longevity, and that depends on health. Bill Walton was as good in college as anyone I have ever seen, and his early years in the NBA clearly marked him out as unique in his intelligence and his skill set. What no one in the general public knew was that his feet were not suited to the pounding that basketball imposes, and his career was blighted, and then ended, by that physical condition.
All the great big men were fortunate in the area of general health and physicality, so genetics and good fortune are determinative factors in longevity. That is why taking a big man at the very top of the draft, like taking a pitcher high in the baseball draft, is known to be a major risk, but one that franchises are willing to take. One could ask Portland about that -- they passed over Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant to take a big man who, it was hoped, would anchor their interior for a decade or more. Never happened ----
Wemby will play out on the floor, with forays into the paint at both ends of the floor. That has both advantage and disadvantage for a player, but today's game finds many outstanding big men with the skills required to do well out there. The wear and tear is problematical, and long careers like that of Dirk Nowitzke Kevin Durant show that it can be done, though at some cost along the way. I wish the very best for Wemby, not only because he is a great talent, but because he appears to be exceptionally well grounded and will represent the game and his franchise admirably.
Fully agree Wemby is an injury risk. Fingers crossed he avoids injury. Injury is the only thing stopping him from being the GOAT. He made the Golden State Warriors look like junior high kids last night. I have never seen anything like it and never will again.
Players are going to need to shoot the 3 a bit further out on SA this year! Wemby is 19, which is really young for a big man in the NBA. I noticed they watched his minutes in Europe last year, and I expect the Spurs to be very careful with his minutes this year.Crawfoso1973 said:
Fully agree Wemby is an injury risk. Fingers crossed he avoids injury. Injury is the only thing stopping him from being the GOAT. He made the Golden State Warriors look like junior high kids last night. I have never seen anything like it and never will again.
Gregg Popovich reacts to Steve Kerr saying he's ‘rejuvenated’ with Victor Wembanyama 😅
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 21, 2023
"What was I being rejuvenated from? Was I in a mental institution or was I depressed and curled up in my bedroom or something? Steve's an a**hole."
(via @hoopshype)pic.twitter.com/yuXvCYvown
TWD 1974 said:When you start using the phrase "best prospect ever" I would cite a bit of history.Crawfoso1973 said:
Yeah I keep hearing this lineup will stick. That will be a lot of fun watching Sochan throwing lobs to the best prospect to ever play the game.
In 1969, the Milwaukee Bucks managed to lose enough games to get the 1st pick--Kareem Abdul Jabbar. In his rookie season, Kareem played 82 games, averaged 43minutes, 28.8ppg, 14.5reb., 4.3assists, taking the Bucks to the playoffs and the eastern division finals. The next season, he averaged 31ppg, 16 reb., and they won the title.
If Wembanyama gets anywhere close to those results, Spurs fans will be very happy.
I believe that was Lew Alcindor, sir.
On a serious note, I'll be following the Spurs. I hope they do well.
Sochan at PG is intriguing
Basketball was not the global sport back then that it is now. There wasn't 24/7 coverage of every top prospect filling every feed of every plugged in fan every day.bularry said:I'd disagree with this. The hype on Kareem was unbelievableQuote:
But to say that the expectations are higher for Wemby in terms of potential than they even were for Kareem is probably true.
In no way do I mean to belittle or talk down on Kareem or his legacy. Kareem could arguable be pinned as the second most important basketball player of all time behind MJ.
But I think the hype, at age 18-19, entering the NBA, in terms of people already projecting Wemby as a player who they believe could change the game of basketball and could become the face of the NBA by the time he's 21 or 22 and in terms of the scale of the amount of people talking about him, is beyond the hype on Kareem. Not to say that Kareem was an unknown or was not extremely, extremely hyped.
And if Kareem were a prospect today, it might be a different story. I think its just the nature of having social media today has made Wemby "the best PROSPECT ever."
Watched the second half of the SA/PHO game where SA came back and won. Sochan moves the ball well and was bringing the ball up the court when he was in. Pop started a comeback by having them run zone on defense and it worked.
Prior to running zone, Sochan had to cover Durant and didn't do terrible but wasn't great on defense. But the fact is no one could cover him.
As a functional point guard he performed pretty well. He distributed nicely. He wasn't looking to score much that I could see but that could be the role he has been asked to perform (or it could be from being tired trying to cover KD).
Prior to running zone, Sochan had to cover Durant and didn't do terrible but wasn't great on defense. But the fact is no one could cover him.
As a functional point guard he performed pretty well. He distributed nicely. He wasn't looking to score much that I could see but that could be the role he has been asked to perform (or it could be from being tired trying to cover KD).
I think most of the issues that have come so far this season when running the Point Sochan lineup has happened because of spacing issues. It's a big lineup and will take some time for them to get used to each other and figure their spacing out.
I think it is a lineup that will stick, even if it transitions away from being their starting lineup. But the Spurs usually view things like this in 20 game blocks. So I imagine they'll take a look at it in the coming weeks and mix it up as necessary.
I think it is a lineup that will stick, even if it transitions away from being their starting lineup. But the Spurs usually view things like this in 20 game blocks. So I imagine they'll take a look at it in the coming weeks and mix it up as necessary.
Former #Baylor 🐻 Jeremy Sochan with the game-winner tonight for the Spurs. #SicEm pic.twitter.com/jbAm4q5JDt
— Grayson Grundhoefer (@GrayGrundhoefer) March 26, 2024
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