“You got guys like Julian. We could see his numbers during the summer were just incredible, and I think he’s going to keep proving he can be amongst the great shooters of this league.” Spurs star player Victor Wembanyama recently highlighted his high expectations for Julian Champagnie for the ongoing regular season. Wemby set a name for himself during the previous season by coming off as one of the most exceptional rookies in NBA history. However, it still wasn’t enough to help the Spurs out of their losing streak. As a result, the team ended up once again at the bottom half of the points table.

In light of this, the French star needed a companion who could equal him on the offensive front. However, was Julian Champagnie, a player who went undrafted in 2022 and was waived by the 76ers, the right person for the job?

The Spurs’ season opener against the Dallas Mavericks answered all the right questions. Clocking in 27 minutes, the 23-year-old shooting guard/small forward secured 18 points to his name. His field goal percentage was 58.3%, and his three-pointers at 50%. He almost came close to a double-double with his 7 rebounds, accompanied by 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal. This score even allowed him to surpass Wemby’s game total.

After all, the French star only made 17 points with an abysmal shooting percentage of 27.8% field goals and 12.5% three-pointers. This was a rare occasion, as Champagnie won’t always outscore the 2024 Rookie of the Year. However, it still indicated that Wemby may finally have a proper right hand on his side.

Without further ado, let us know more about this memorable shooting guard/small forward.

Who is Julian Champagnie?

Born in Staten Island and spent a significant part of his childhood in Brooklyn, Champagnie is as New Yorker as one could be without having an upbringing in Manhattan. Born to Ranford and Christina Champagnie, Julian’s father also comes from a sports background, having dabbled his hands with soccer. An early interest in the sport allowed Ranford to pursue it all the way to college.

During his tenure at St. John’s University, he played a notable role in the team’s run during the 1995 Big East Tournament Championship, along with securing the title in the 1996 NCAA Division I National Championship. After missing the 1997 season due to an injury, he started 20 of 21 matches during his senior year and helped St. John secure the 1998 Big East Tournament. Today, Ranford continues to display his interest in soccer by serving as an assistant coach.

Julian’s basketball journey began right from high school, or rather, the Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School. Julian averaged 15 points during his junior year, with his twin brother Justin in the same school and team. The same stat increased to 17.2 during his senior year. His high school career allowed him to receive offers from the Universities of Pittsburgh, Washington State, Cincinnati, and Seton Hall. However, the young player instead opted for his father’s alma mater, aka St John’s.

According to a report by the New York Post, Julian gave a reasoning behind his decision by stating, “I grew up on St. John’s. I went to soccer camps there until I was 12. It’s really good. I get to help bring New York basketball back to where it needs to be.”

How did Julian Champagnie fare during his college tenure and later career?

Champagnie stayed for three seasons with the St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball team and played over 88 games during the period. He averaged 16 points thanks to his ability to maintain a shooting average of 42.9% field goals, 34.8% field goals, and an impressive 81.5% free throw. Along with that, the future NBA player also averaged 6.8 rebounds to go along with his 1.4 assists.

Julian initially did not have a good start to his college tenure. He scored only in the single digits in over half of his early games. At the last stage of the season in March 2020, however, he scored a season-high 23 points. Julian would almost follow up on the performance of the next game with 21 points. His averages improved from that point onwards, and he went through the entire 2020-21 season without his score falling in the single digits in any of the games.

Despite a college basketball career that many could only aspire to reach, the shooting guard/small forward went undrafted back in 2022. The Philadelphia 76ers came forward as a saving grace, taking Julian under a two-way contract. He played four games for the franchise during the 2022 preseason and two more during the regular season before the team waived him. Two days after the franchise dismissed him, the San Antonio Spurs swooped in like a hawk and acquired the player.

According to Spotrac, the franchise went so far as to hand the player a four-year, $12 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs, with $6 million guaranteed. The contract will keep him with the Spurs until 2026.

Julian Champagnie averaged only 6.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists during the 74 games of the 2023-24 season. Despite this, the Spurs decided to play another gamble on the 23-year-old. While the season opener was a sign that big things can be expected from Julian, it remains to be seen whether his offensive prowess will continue or not.