Spurs Season In-Review: Julian Champagnie Finds Consistent Role in San Antonio

San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie is still developing, but he already has a spot in San Antonio, should he be brought back this offseason.

Apr 9, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (left) talks with forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Julian Champganie seems to be pure bottled potential.

The 23-year-old forward is three years out of St. Johns and has given the San Antonio Spurs a consistent piece to use not just this year, but what could be for years to come. Champagnie was signed after being underrated by the Philadelphia 76ers but would only play a total of seven minutes with the team. Champagnie would find his way down south to San Antonio as a waiver acquisition, but more specifically to Austin.

He played a total of eight games with the Austin Spurs, averaging almost 34 minutes a night. While his efficiency slightly fell, he was averaging 18 points and over eight rebounds. That was all it took for him to get called up to the NBA.

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Having a team as young as the Spurs allows you to get your eyes on a lot of developing talent in real NBA games and situations. The Spurs were not a good team in the 2022-23 seasons, meaning that Gregg Popovich had a plethora of evaluation and development time for his young players.

Champagnie only played 15 games for the Spurs at the end of the year, starting just three of those contests, but it was all he needed to make his impression on the team and coaching staff.

Apr 12, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) reacts after scoring a 3-point basket during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Champagnie has yet to see the G League again since his visit to the NBA at the end of the 22-23 season, instead, this recent year moving into a much larger role for the Spurs. Champagnie quadrupled his entire career appearances throughout a single season, playing 74 total games with 59 starts for the young San Antonio squad.

The coaching staff showed their trust in Champagnie, allowing him to play almost 20 minutes a game in the toughest league in the world.

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"Don't be Kobe."

That's exactly what Champagnie recalls Popovich told him before he was thrust into the starting lineup, replacing Keldon Johnson.

At the core that may sound obvious, but when you dig deeper it gave great meaning to not just Champagnie but the entire young Spurs team as a whole. There are only so many spots on an NBA roster that players oftentimes try to become something they're not, and Popovich knows that.

What Popovich also knows is that last year's San Antonio team was never meant to win championships, instead opting for the development of the Spur's future. It is something that the Spur's young players have taken in stride.

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Champagnie did exactly what Popovich asked of him, he played like he knew how. Standing at 6'7 Champagnie has elite shooting for the forward position, averaging 37 percent shooting since his move to the NBA roster.

His size and athleticism make him a great weapon on defense, and he attacks closeouts well to disrupt the shooter. He gives the Spurs a solid role player who can explode for a string of buckets at any moment, from anywhere on the court, without creating a liability on defense.

The truth is that Champagnie has a lot of development still waiting to happen, he is not way a complete product. But his potential for development and the contributions the Spurs are already getting from Champagnie make his 12 million dollar contract over four years look like an absolute steal for the Spurs who are looking to build a competitive roster in future years.

Champagnie looks to be a San Antonio Spur for the foreseeable future, keeping Champagnie around makes too much sense financially and on the court for the Spurs to let him go.

Season Grade: B