San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich 'Protective' of Victor Wembanyama?

Victor Wembanyama is bound to have a lot of attention this upcoming season, and San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wants to protect his No. 1 overall pick.

SAN ANTONIO - Being around San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich for any amount of time reveals that there is a method to his media madness. 

Known for his quips, hateful barbs and downright insulting answers to questions over the years has become part of Pop's legacy. But spend any length of time around him and one gets the sense that much of it is contrived. Whether to send his own team a subliminal message, test young reporters' metal or just for the hell of it, Popovich knows what he's doing when it comes to his relationship with the press.

At Media Day, we got a rather subdued Popovich. The now 74 year old legend came off as a bit mellow, slower but still with the same old wit. He even managed to crack a smile or two in his opening press conference and even yukked it up at times with a couple of long time local reporters. Pop has definitely simmered down the last few years knowing that dog cussing a bunch of kids under 25 was futile. When Tim Duncan was on the team and it was championship or bust we mostly got the gruff, hard headed Pop. Now that the club is so young, in rebuilding mode, he's changed and it's not by accident.

Victor Wembanyama and Gregg Popovich / Inside The Spurs

But that chill Pop on Monday immediately turned back into the grumpy old man whenever a member of the French press had a question. It was obvious to most everyone in the room that he was having very little time for the throng of reporters and journalists who have come to south Texas to exclusively cover Victor Wembanyama from his home country. Whenever a French reporter would ask a question it was out with the fun and straight answers and in with that legendary stare and one worded, terse responses. This had to have been by design.

Call it conjecture but the Americans in the building all noticed it too. Perhaps Pop is sending a message to his new friends in the press from Paris who'll be embedded in San Antonio. Perhaps he's protecting his new prize in the 19 year old Wembanyama. Whatever the case may be, we never saw this kind of out of town coverage for Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili or any other foreign born player they've had. 

The kid is a rock star, especially in France, and it would be understandable if Popovich is distrusting of the French contingent. Who knows if it's justified standoffishness or not but these folks are going to cover every aspect of Wemby and it became clear on Monday that the head coach isn't having it. At least not until he finds out who they are and what they want. The Spurs will go to great lengths to keep Wemby grounded and on track with as little distraction as possible. Even if it means we get the old Pop on occasion.