Gregg Popovich on Victor Wembanyama: “I compare him more to LeBron [James]”

On the last night of the preseason before the 2023-24 NBA Regular Season, the San Antonio Spurs secured a 122-117 victory over the Golden State Warriors, with Victor Wembanyama contributing 19 points.

Ahead of the game, Steve Kerr mentioned on Twitter that Gregg Popovich, holding the 1st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, was excited.

Popovich’s enthusiasm was evident, and there was considerable buzz surrounding the potential French generational talent.

When queried about potential comparisons to NBA legends Tim Duncan and David Robinson, Popovich astutely redirected attention to another highly significant NBA superstar.

“This guy [Victor Wembanyama] has had that hype for so long, kind of like LeBron [James] did. I compare him more to LeBron [James] than those two guys in that respect,” he said.

Subsequently, the Spurs coach expressed his readiness to navigate the world of NBA media on behalf of the individual in question, emphasizing a desire to provide additional protection for him.

“I found out very early talking to him that he kind of looked at me like, ‘Why is this guy telling me all this stuff?’ Like, he already knows it, he has been through it,” Popovich commented.

Concluding the conversation, Coach Pop responded to Steve Kerr’s observation that he perceives a sense of rejuvenation after acquiring the former ASVEL and Metropolitans 92 player.

Popovich injected a touch of humor into his comment.

“What was I being rejuvenated from? Was I in a mental institution? Was I depressed and curled up in my bedroom or something?” he ironically asked.

Before facing the San Antonio Spurs, Steve Kerr said Gregg Popovich is “bouncing off the walls” about having Victor Wembanyama on board 👽

The 74-year-old head coach then went on to praise the French rookie, while also comparing his hype to LeBron’s:https://t.co/ejgKsJYrLS

— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) October 21, 2023