Even before Victor Wembanyama became part of the San Antonio Spurs, he was close with Tony Parker.
The two men had a few things in common, most notably their French background.
Parker has attempted to lead Wembanyama through the tricky landscape that is NBA stardom and expectations.
Speaking to ESPN, Parker said that the hopes and dreams people have for Wembanyama ahead of his first season worry him.
“It worries me a little bit sometimes because those expectations are crazy,” Parker said, adding that being compared to Michael Jordan and LeBron James at such a young age can add so much pressure.
Parker said that he has told Wembanyama to remain true to himself and just keep playing the game that he loves, ignoring all the sound and the speculation around him.
That is solid advice from the six-time All-Star and four-time champion.
People are going to want a lot from Wembanyama and they are going to want it as soon as possible.
We all saw a bit of that during the Summer League.
Wembanyama’s first game for the Spurs wasn’t amazing and it immediately led to some people speculating if he was a draft bust.
But Wembanyama didn’t let that get him down and instead came out even stronger during his second game.
That will have to be his mindset moving forward, Parker says.
Wembanyama will need to put blinders on and ignore the noise from the press, fans, and analysts.
Instead, he will need to simply hunker down and focus on playing the game and getting even better.
He has the right staff to help him do that.
Aside from his family, teammates, and mentors like Parker, he will be led by one of the most historic and beloved coaches of all time: Gregg Popovich.
With his talent and all that support, Wembanyama is certainly set up for some serious success.
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Gregg Popovich Has Hilarious Admission On Why He Keeps Coaching