Victor Wembanyama’s coach shares some advice for the Spurs: ‘It’s unnecessary to walk beside him with authority’

Right after San Antonio earned the lottery pick this month, NBA fans and analysts went into a frenzy as French sensation Victor Wembanyama is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming Draft on June 22. 

The rising star’s current coach Vincent Collet gave some words of advice to the Spurs as they prepare to receive the seven-foot-four athlete this summer. He began by welcoming the lottery results, as he always considered the Texan franchise to be the best option.

“It was the choice I was hoping for. San Antonio is a franchise that has built its legend with foreign players. We saw that in France with the prism of Tony Parker but there was also Manu Ginobili and others. I think Gregg Popovich can be the best mentor for him,” the trainer said.

Collet, who coaches the young adult both in the Metropolitans 92 and the French national team, assures that Wembanyama is at a crucial age in his career, and his development must be very precise.

“Victor is only 19 years old. It’s an age when you progress a lot and you progress more or less depending on how you are supported and coached,” he added. “This is also good news for the French national team. San Antonio respects international basketball and knows that the players do not waste their time in national teams.”

When asked why his player is considered the best prospect of this next generation, Collet not only talked about his physical traits, but said that his mentality is elite and as ambitious as his childhood hero Kobe Bryant.

“It’s not common to take care of a gifted individual,” Collet explained. “He is passionate, he’s interested in everything. Much like Kobe Bryant, who he is a big fan of, he always wants to understand why he does things, thus, a different approach is needed.”

The French national team trainer then went on to describe why it is important to give Wembanyama his freedom on court. “There are obvious things in his qualities like measurements, motor skills, etc. Then there is his project, his own will, his independency,” he said.

“You have to give him freedom while trying to influence his choices so that he progresses with accuracy.”

Collet had a direct message for legendary NBA trainer Gregg Popovich about how to treat the rising star

Vicent has been known for leading the French national team to some of the highest moments in the nation’s history, but now he knows that developing Wembanyama is probably one of the most exciting tasks of his career.

Almost as if he was addressing legendary NBA coach Gregg Popovich directly, Collet sent a word of advice for his future trainer. “It’s unnecessary to walk beside him with authority, prohibiting him from doing certain things. You have to read the situation and make sure that he perceives the validity of his decision-making,” he said.

Collet then added that communication will be key to a healthy development for Wemby. “We discuss his usage on the court and how he could take advantage of certain situations,” he assued. “We explore his game. We try to make sense of it.

“He’s not only gifted with the ball in his hands. He has a lot of assets, and intelligence is one of them, he has the ability to quickly adapt,” Collet told.