Legendary coach Greg Popovich opens up on Wemby’s absence! The 2024 Rookie of the Year turned out to be exactly what everyone imagined him to be—the next chosen one. And the expectation surrounding his sophomore year has already skyrocketed! It further doubled down when the Spurs added veteran guard Chris Paul to the mix, who would likely take on playmaking duties. Tonight, fans had the opportunity to have a first glance at the uncharted explosive team-up, but Victor Wembanyama didn’t suit up! Here’s why.

The 7 ‘4 star never really had downtime in the last two years, ever since he appeared in the 2023 NBA Draft. After a hard campaign in the Spurs threads in his rookie season, the young man went on national duty. He indeed did a great job there too, with France clinching a silver medal in the Paris Olympics, falling short only to Team USA. So, “Pop confirmed Victor Wembanyama is sitting preseason opener to rest after a busy offseason,” Raul Dominguez Jr., a trusted NBA reporter, posted before the OKC Thunder game.

Notably, this wasn’t a hasty decision on the run. Greg Popovich’s quick scan at the training camp prompted him to rest the tired legs of his players. Importantly, it wasn’t just Victor Wembanyama, who missed the game.

Chris Paul, Devin Vassell, Zach Collins, Charles Bassey, and David Duke also didn’t suit up for the opener. Speaking of the players’ availability, Pop said, “You can probably guess who some of the starters are… It was a tough week and I want to see what their bodies look like and that kind of thing,” after the Saturday’s training camp.

Next up, the team takes on the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Most probably, we might get to witness the CP3-Wemby combo for the first time. Fans have already created hype regarding the pick-and-roll between the duo. But will they make the necessary impact?

Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul – New hope for the Spurs?

Last season, the Warriors pulled off a surprise trade, roping in Chris Paul. And, the visuals of CP3 sitting next to Stephen Curry on the courtside having an intense conversation surfaced on the internet. Fans were quick to claim that the Dubs will run it back again. However, that wasn’t the case, as the team failed to even make it past the play-ins. A few months later, Point God is on the Spurs roster and, once again, fans have a similar hype. Not to forget the intense conversation on the sidelines.

Tonight, at the preseason opener, Paul and Wemby, seated courtside in casual clothes, had a deep interaction. More like a one-way speech from CP3 while Wemby sat with a poker face. Speaking about the vet, Victor said, “Even now, looking at the rest of the league, I don’t see many guys who could bring this same amount of knowledge about the game as him… It’s a real change to have him.” 

The Frenchman also spoke about the experience that CP3 will bring to a relatively inexperienced roster. So, for a fact, Wemby wasn’t annoyed by the intense conversation. Nevertheless, it’s too early to expect a lot from a new duo that hasn’t won a championship yet! However, the team has added Harrison Barnes to the lineup, who is someone with a championship-winning experience.

Do you think the Spurs will make it to the playoffs this season? Let us know.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.