Inside The Spurs

Spurs Starter, Tuesday, July 30, 2024: Victor Wembanyama 'Connected' to City of San Antonio

Your daily briefing on what's going on with the San Antonio Spurs, including news, draft & more.

Matt Guzman

Mar 29, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the bench before the game against the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center.
Mar 29, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the bench before the game against the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
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Happy Tuesday, Por Vida fans! Welcome to your morning Spurs Starter.

Ever since arriving to San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama has won over the hearts of its inhabitants.

RIght from the tarmac, the 20-year-old star was gifted with breakfast tacos and showered with cheers. He was the next face of the San Antonio Spurs, so it made sense that he was to be fan favorite.

READ MORE: Why Spurs Traversed The Offseason The Right Way

His personality lent itself to that, but his play on the court only solidified it. But as much as the fans love watching him, he's enjoyed being with the Spurs.

“I really fe(el) connected to the city," he said of playing in San Antonio. "I already had a feeling, even before the lottery, that that’s where I would end up. That’s where I wanted to go.”

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts in the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Frost Bank Center.
Apr 7, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts in the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

Call it fate, but there were a lot of parallels connecting the Frenchman to the Silver & Black. As the No. 1 overall pick, he was following the path of the other two big men to be taken tops by the Spurs, and his French heritage aligned with the love that San Antonio already had for the country because of Tony Parker and Boris Diaw.

That made connecting with the community easy. And as the Spurs continue to improve around Wembanyama, it's likely to stay that way. The next step is for it to turn into wins.

“The fact that it’s San Antonio makes things a lot easier," Wembanyama said. "The enthusiasm is incredible. Everyone is a fan. So actually, they really elevate their players and lift them up.

They truly have a love for the franchise. Which makes this place really comfortable."

Now, onto the headlines:

THE NEWS

1. READ: HARRISON INGRAM READY TO 'ACHIEVE DREAMS' WITH SPURS

After showing flashes of NBA potential at 2K25 Summer League, the San Antonio Spurs have signed Harrison Ingram to the team’s final two-way contract, rounding out their roster prior to training camp.

Read the full story at the link above.

2. WATCH: DID SPURS APPROACH THIS OFFSEASON CORRECTLY?

There were several options available to the San Antonio Spurs when it came to offseason improvements, and they tested the waters in all of them. While none of the moves are league-altering, they are in line with their overall vision.

Watch the latest episode of The San Antonio Minute below:

3. READ: TEAM JAPAN WILL HAVE HANDS FULL WEMBANYAMA, GOBERT, FRANCE

Team Japan will be pressed to beat the defensive tandem that Team France possesses with Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. This game could be a blowout early.

Read the full story above.

THE DRAFT

Now that the 2024 NBA Draft is over, you can check out the newest Spurs and what they might bring to the team next season and down the road. Below are the some stories about the rookies selected:

Round 1, Pick No. 4: Stephon Castle

Round 2, Pick No. 36: Juan Núñez

Round 2, Pick No. 48: Harrison Ingram

THE SCHEDULE

There are 86 days until opening night of the 2024-25 NBA season, but the San Antonio Spurs have more to look forward to prior to that. The regular season schedule has yet to be released, but the entire preseason schedule — also still a ways away — has.

There, the team will get its first chance to hit the floor with a complete roster. Also of note, Victor Wembanyama and Team France are competing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Below is a list of dates and start times (all in CST) for both sets of games:

San Antonio Spurs Preseason

Oct. 7: Home vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Tipoff at 7 p.m.)
Oct. 9: Home vs. Orlando Magic (Tipoff at 7 p.m.)
Oct. 12: Home vs. Utah Jazz (Tipoff at 7 p.m.)

Oct. 15: Away at Miami Heat (Tipoff at 6:30 p.m.)
Oct. 17: Away at Houston Rockets (Tipoff at 7 p.m.)

Team France Olympic Slate

July 27: France vs. Brazil (W 78-66)
July 30: France vs. Japan (Tipoff at 10:15 a.m.)
Aug. 2: France vs. Germany (Tipoff at 2 p.m.)

AROUND THE NBA

Catch up on some of the league-wide headlines below:

Also, be sure to follow along with Spurs On SI's NBA tracker, with more detailed breakdowns of major league news and updates.

THE CLOSER

Check out our homepage for more news and follow us on the platforms below. Thank you for tuning in and enjoy the rest of your Tuesday.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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