San Antonio Spurs president and former head coach Gregg Popovich made a rare appearance at a recent practice session featuring rising star Victor Wembanyama. The sighting drew attention as fans got an early look at the team’s progress ahead of the new season.
Over the weekend, the Spurs hosted an open scrimmage, offering supporters a preview of the revamped roster. While several new additions took the court, the spotlight remained firmly on All-Star and potential franchise cornerstone Wembanyama, whose performance continues to generate excitement across San Antonio.
Gregg Popovich Makes Rare Courtside Appearance for Wembanyama Workout
Popovich made a rare appearance at team shootaround, quietly watching Wembanyama put up shots. The moment, captured courtside, reflected the deep attention surrounding the Spurs’ All-Star and 2023 No. 1 overall pick as he prepared for another season after an emotional and physically demanding year.
Jared Weiss from The Athletic posted a video on X with the caption, “Gregg Popovich is here at Spurs shootaround watching Victor Wembanyama get shots up.” The young star’s return comes months after facing deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder, forcing him to confront both his health and his career’s fragility.
Gregg Popovich is here at Spurs shootaround watching Victor Wembanyama get shots up. pic.twitter.com/EAjXFdNnWJ
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) October 6, 2025
“My training this summer, it was brutal,” Wembanyama said. “This summer, I chose to do something much more violent. Maybe that takes away from some time I can spend on shooting the basketball, but it doesn’t matter. I wanted to get my body back.”
Following his diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis, Wembanyama spent the spring in hospitals, facing a sudden reminder of his own limits. The experience shifted his outlook. After being cleared to travel, he sought peace and purpose across Asia.
His journey began at a Shaolin temple in Zhengzhou, China, where he practiced Chan meditation and Shaolin Kung Fu, before heading to Japan. The experience grounded him, helping him rediscover balance and gratitude.
“It makes you understand lessons that nothing else could have made me understand,” he reflected. Wembanyama said the trip gave him a broader view of life and people. “The traumatic experience (is) very much linked to all the stuff I’ve done in the summer,” he explained.
Wembanyama further added, “There’s also a big feeling that life isn’t forever and there are some experiences we’re going to miss (out) on. It’s inevitable. But I’m going to miss (out) on the least that I can. I want to experience the most and this is something that I wanted to do.”
Standing at 7-foot-4 in socks, Wembanyama’s physical gifts remain unmatched, and his focus on strength and conditioning this offseason shows his commitment to longevity.
The concerns once raised about his durability have eased since his rookie campaign. In 2023-24, he averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals in 71 games, shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from three-point range.
In 2024-25, before his season was cut short, he elevated those numbers to 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, while improving his efficiency to 47.6 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from deep. He also averaged a league-high 3.8 blocks per game in that season.
As Popovich observed from the sidelines, the Spurs’ future remains firmly anchored around their generational talent.