Chris Paul participated in a voluntary off-season training camp with the San Antonio Spurs and I spent the week familiarizing myself with the team’s playbook, coaching staff and players.
Paul was able to train with Victor Wembanyama, who had just returned from France, where he won a silver medal. The two men got to know each other and discover the nuances of each other’s game. It was an important step in a partnership that Paul credits with his decision to join the Silver & Black.
“Having Victor here has helped, too,” Paul said when he first signed with the Spurs. “I’ve played against him this season, and I can tell you there’s probably no player in the league that everyone talks about after the game like he does.”
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Paul was extremely complimentary of Wembanyama. He is excited to wear the same uniform as the star rookie and, to put it simply, he is tired of competing against him.
“I don’t think there’s a limit to him,” Paul said of the Frenchman’s potential. “He’s one of those guys we talked about after the game last year, how weird it was to defend him.”
And Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, he’s looking forward to the momentum Paul will create with some of the younger players before the team begins training camp.
“Having (Paul) and Harrison at this stage of their careers is really great for the young guys we have,” the coach said. “When a player you respect says the same thing we do, sometimes that means a lot more to a player. Having them on our side is going to be great.”
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Wembanyama is also learning from Paul. He is likely to learn a lot in training sessions with him, and if the result is an even better Wembanyama this season compared to last season, then Paul will have more than earned his salary.
“I’m young,” Wembanyama said midway through last season. “I’m getting better every day, and I think we can say the same thing every month. The good thing about my room for improvement is I don’t even know how much room for improvement it is.”
“I can improve so much.”
