San Antonio Spurs' Gregg Popovich Reveals Sixth Man Competition

At Media Day, Gregg Popovich made it clear that the San Antonio Spurs will have elite bench talent.

San Antonio Spurs Media Day is usually when fans can get their first sense of the direction their team’s season will go. Summer League showcases rookies, and preseason offers a glimpse into the talent level players bring into a season, but Media Day is where game plans and attitudes are revealed.

The Spurs enter the season with a lot of questions. Most of them won’t be answered until rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama makes his official debut, but questions of roster makeup can be addressed before then. Perhaps the biggest question on fans’ minds is one fairly new to this organization: who will even make the starting lineup?

Between Wembanyama, Jeremy Sochan, Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, and Keldon Johnson, the Spurs have six players who could be considered starters. With the exception of the rookie, all of the players mentioned started a decent chunk of games last season. After the Spurs dealt Jakob Poeltl to the Raptors, even Collins was able to notch 26 starts, and he did rather well in them, posting 16.5 points, eight rebounds, 3.8 assists, and a 39 percent three-point percentage in his final 19 starts.

This means that one player who is good enough to start will have to come off the bench. Gregg Popovich got ahead of this at Media Day, suggesting that “anyone” can come off the bench, and reminding his audience that Manu Ginobili built a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career as a sixth man.

"If Manu Ginobili can come off the bench, anyone can and i don't wanna hear it." -Pop when asked about this year's starting five

— Bruno Passos (@bouncepassos) October 2, 2023

Based on Popovich’s quote, it might be fair to say that the sixth man for the Spurs will be a surprise decision. It’s safe to say that most people deem Jones and Collins as most likely to be the odd man out. Jones is a traditional point guard, and between Sochan and Vassell, PG responsibilities can be divvied up. The same goes for Collins. A traditional center with solid shooting, Sochan and Wembanyama can divide protecting the paint.

However, Popovich’s quote makes me think that the Spurs will look elsewhere to lead the second unit. Sochan seems safe, as he and Wembanyama have quite the bromance, and Devin Vassell is yet to sign an extension, perhaps because he is negotiating his role on the team. That leaves Keldon Johnson. He is under contract until 2027 on a team-friendly deal and is already a fan favorite. He has shown he can be a 20 points per game scorer and is the highest-energy player on the team. That’s exactly who you would want to lead the second unit, which will most likely be rounded out by Doug McDermott on the wing, Malaki Branham running point, and Cedi Osman and Sandro Mamukelashvili down low. Johnson is the perfect glue guy who can create for himself, move the rock around the perimeter, or use his physicality down low.

Keldon Johnson grabs a rebound against Jaxson Hayes.  / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

If Johnson is delegated to the second unit, expect him to have a permanent green light. More than anyone on the team, he can catch fire and explode for points. And it looks like Coach Pop might give him free rein. It’s safe to say that Johnson does best when he’s “the guy.” Last season, he and Devin Vassell were easily the best players on the team. But when Vassell missed 22 straight games, Johnson averaged 22.4 points, 4.7 boards, and 2.8 assists, all in line with his averages for the season. Yes, his efficiency dipped during that stretch, but on the second unit this season, he will get to play his bruising brand of basketball.

A Spur hasn’t won SMOTY honors since Ginobili in 2008. If Johnson is sent to the bench, he will be competing for the award among the likes of Immanuel Quickley, Bobby Portis, and Malik Monk. Based on pure talent, the Spurs will have the best bench player of the bunch.