Green-Haired Jeremy Sochan Back in Form at Best Possible Time for Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs got started hot this season behind a jump in production from Jeremy Sochan, and now that he's back from a thumb fracture, his impact as a player and provocateur is clearer than it was.

Dec 15, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) drives in against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

SAN ANTONIO — Jeremy Sochan saw it.

During a timeout when the San Antonio Spurs played host to the Minnesota Timberwolves in an NBA Cup make-up game, the attention, for once, wasn't on him.

Normally purloining the spotlight himself with his colorful hair and rambunctious on-court attitude, Sochan sat in the team huddle while Frost Bank Center ran its usual "Fan of the Game" promotion. This time, it was a young man donning a green, curly afro who took home the prize.

"I've seen it a few places," Sochan laughed. "That's love. I appreciate the crowd and how much love they give us."

While both the fan and Sochan donned similar hairstyles that night, only one got the honor of provoking the Timberwolves on the Spurs' city edition court; the same one who'd done so in Portland, Ore. the game prior and against the New Orleans Pelicans a game before that.

No, he wasn't doing it on purpose — though he admitted to possessing a shark-like ability of sniffing "blood in the water" — but that didn't mean it wasn't easy.

Sochan was simply being himself.

"I'm not doing it on purpose," he explained. "I'm not trying to be a d***head. I'm just me ... I'm going to be me every game."

Dec 6, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) challenges a call by an official during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

From the outside, Sochan being himself comes almost as a threat. Enough so that Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, once a two-time NBA All-Defensive selection, included it on the scouting report.

Sure, his stats speak for themselves. Sochan is averaging career high averages in points per game, rebounds per game and shooting percentage from the field. In games he's been healthy, he's left his mark as an interior defender and found ways to complement the play style of 20-year-old star Victor Wembanyama in a way no other Spur beyond Chris Paul has seemed to.

"He's a huge part of our motor," Wembanyama said. "I like playing with him. He knows where to be to catch the ball, get open."

But for those things, preparation is possible. A defense can watch the boards and force the green-haired forward to air it out from further away. It can also force him into a favorable matchup.

What it can't do? Control how players react to facing him.

“He’s an agitator,” Billups told the peanut gallery of Sochan, "and he’s really good at it.”

READ MORE: With Newly Colored Hair, Sochan Ready to Thrive at 'Natural' Position

Incidentally, Sochan did enough to get a rise out of Portland's seven-year veteran Anfernee Simons that Friday evening. The next game, it was Jaden McDaniels who took the bait.

His scuffles — the former of which incited what ended up being a rallying comeback win for the Spurs — might not have appeared on the final box score handed out to reporters every game.

But they didn't need to.

"Sometimes, f*** the stat sheet," Sochan said. "It doesn't matter at the end of the day. If we get the win, that's what matters."

On that basis, the 21-year-old is 1-for-2. But on the season as a whole, he's certainly found more success individually and that, in turn, has bolstered San Antonio's dual-threat system.

"He play(s) with tremendous energy," Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. "He's been doing that consistently when he's been healthy."

Dec 15, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

One season ago, Sochan wasn't so effervescent with a mic in-hand.

His expletive-riddled interviews never changed, but they weren't as joyous as they are now that he's no longer trying to be "Chris Paul" — a comparison Gregg Popovich once deemed false.

The result, beyond his provocative antics, was a boost in production. Combine that with the natural progression taken by Victor Wembanyama, and the Spurs are in better position compared to last year. Happier, too.

"Those first 26 games last year were lessons," Sochan said. "It wasn't always perfect, but at the end of the day, I looked at it and learned from it."

The lessons kept coming when Sochan had to miss a month of the season with a fractured thumb just seven games into his much-improved campaign; when his rehab process went longer than he might have liked.

"I laughed with my trainers," the forward said a week prior to his return. "I said it's kind of like a little second preseason. It's annoying, but it's getting there."

READ MORE: Jeremy Sochan 'Ahead of Schedule' in Ramp-Up Process

Sochan eventually made his way back into Mitch Johnson's rotation and picked up right where he left off. In that span, San Antonio is 2-4, though any plan it had was turned on its side after a slew of other pieces, including Zach Collins, Tre Jones and Keldon Johnson all missed significant time.

The initial adjustment hung over his head as he began off the bench before cracking the starting lineup again, but while Sochan has done enough to earn a "semi-permanent" spot in the first five, it still might be a while before the Spurs feel fully healthy.

"Every time you come back from an injury, there's always going to be an adjustment," Sochan said. "You can do whatever you want — sprinting, treadmill, running courts — but game shape is way different."

Luckily, Sochan seems to be, once again, ahead of the curve.

"It's good," Sochan said. "It's clicking."

As the Spurs prepare to host the Atlanta Hawks and put a close to their extensive breaks over the past few weeks, they'll continue to rely on Sochan for his energy and production, especially with a .500 record to protect.

If he gets into a few fights? More power to him. That's how he intends to be.

But two things are clear: The forward is back in form at just the right time, and his green hair, which hasn't been redone since he first sported it, isn't going anywhere.

Not with Christmas coming up.

"It's really out there," Sochan said, tussling his own curls. "You can see it ... Grinch kind of vibes."

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