San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan wasn’t expecting much when he arrived at a fan event in Poland last month.
The No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Sochan earned All-Rookie Second Team honors last season. He made the trip as part of the 2023 Basketball Without Borders (BWB) European camp held at the WKK Sport Center in Wrocław, Poland.
He was born in Oklahoma but has deep ties to Poland dating back to his grandfather, who was the president of the Warsaw Regional Basketball Association. Sochan has played for the Polish youth national team and is recruiting Warriors rookie Brandin Podziemski to join him on the senior national team, per HoopsHype.
The forward, who recently spoke with For The Win, said he expected to see maybe a couple hundred people. But what he saw instead was an instant reflection of the way that the game has grown overseas even over the course of just the past few years.
jeremy sochan has many fans pic.twitter.com/6MInDusd5z
— maddy 👽 (@lilmaddens7) August 26, 2023
“Over 2,000 people showed out. It was crazy,” Sochan said. “It was more than just basketball. It’s a culture change just showing positivity and energy. I think people are receiving it well and they love it.”
While this was a wonderful moment for Sochan, it only represents a small portion of how he has spent his summer. Spurs assistant coach Mitch Johnson recently praised the work ethic Sochan has shown so far this offseason.
Here is more from our conversation with the 20-year-old Spurs forward about teammate Victor Wembanyama, playing for Gregg Popovich and offseason improvements.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
What are your early impressions of your new teammate Victor Wembanyama?
Sochan: I think he is mature for his age. He wants to learn. He reads a lot, which is really cool. He is smart. He knows not to get distracted and that is why he is so good. I love how much he wants it. He’s hungry. He wants to win. He’s a team player, and he wants to win together. It’s super exciting to have the No. 1 pick. It speeds things up. Hopefully, we all stay healthy. We are going to work hard to play as a team, and I think we are going to be pretty good.
How is your fit with Wembanyama in the frontcourt?
Sochan: I think it’s going to be scary. Defensively, it’s going to be hard to score against us. We are long. We’re pesky. Offensively, I’m going to be able to find him, and I think the beautiful thing about it is whoever gets the board, just push it. There is no need to pause after getting the defensive board. The way we want to play is: Whoever gets it, you run. You dribble the ball up. It’s going to make everything so much easier. It’s going to make it flow more. I think the potential on both sides is endless.
What was your role in his most recent colorful haircut?
Wemby's new look 👀
(via jeremysochan/IG) pic.twitter.com/6THz2asZsG
— NBA (@NBA) August 14, 2023
Sochan: I had zero influence! I didn’t tell him to do it. There was no bet. He just one day asked me for my contact for who does my hair. I was like, “OK, I’ll send it to you.” A few days later, he had the hair. I think it’s cool. It shows he is open to stuff and trying new stuff. It was cool to see that. Maybe we’ll see. Maybe another player on the team will do it. Imagine the whole team did it?
RELATED: Victor Wembanyama has a colorful haircut like Jeremy Sochan and now looks completely different
What is something you learned in your first year playing for Gregg Popovich?
Sochan: I think it’s just how cool he is. He’s a regular dude who loves basketball and loves to be around people and loves to shed his light on life and the game. A lot of people think he is grumpy and mean and he doesn’t like people. But when you’re around him, it doesn’t seem like that. He’s a connector. He’s a legend. He just got into the Hall of Fame. He has the most wins and five championships. I think it’s a blessing to be around someone like that and learn from him.
What are some of the biggest ways you have improved this offseason?
Sochan: I think my role might change a little bit. I might be more of a leader. I’ll be playing with the ball a bit more and be that playmaker. I’m going to stay aggressive and be ready for more minutes and be ready to get beaten up a little bit. That was one thing that was really important for me. I only played 56 games last season. The goal is to play 82. So I’m in the gym lifting and getting my body right. It’s going to be fun, and I’m excited. The energy in San Antonio right now is really high.
What else are you up to during the offseason this summer?
Sochan: I’m currently over the pond. I’m in Poland. It feels good to be back. I haven’t been back for a long, long time. I think it’s been three years. I get to see family and friends. It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a lot of them. Every country has a different type of energy and vibe to it, and I missed it. Of course, the food. I love pierogies. They’re like dumplings with mixes of meat or sweet pierogies like blueberries with yogurt and sugar on top.
What are some of the ways you have seen basketball grow in Poland?
Sochan: I’m here with the NBA and Basketball Without Borders, and there is a lot of excitement. It’s always important when you have someone in the NBA to lead the way or show people an example of making it. We’ve had a few people in the NBA stick around. But I think times have changed and the game has changed. There is a little more entertainment involved with basketball.
What is your experience with Basketball Without Borders?
Sochan: I got invited to the NBA Global Games, which was in Atlanta when I went. I got invited to Basketball Without Borders Global, but COVID-19 happened. It’s a great opportunity to learn from NBA coaches, players and staff. They pick all the best talent. There are scouts and you are playing against the best players. It’s an experience that you can’t get anywhere else and you can learn so much. I think it’s part of their NBA journey.
What advice do you give to the kids when you’re at these camps?
Sochan: I’ve talked to them a bunch. Sometimes, they ask about confidence. I tell them we’re all human. You’re not going to always be on the high. You’re going to be on the low. You will be tired and sad and mad about a game or life. Remember your end goal and what you want to do with life. Just work hard.
On the court, it’s not all about scoring. People get lost in the idea that they need to average a crazy amount of points to make it to the league or be someone. But I’ll tell them that I only averaged nine points and six rebounds per game. I wasn’t drafted because of my scoring. Of course, it was my potential on both sides of the court but also because I work hard and be that hustle player and that connector and do different things. It’s important to remember it’s not about scoring.
What can you tell me about the new training facility opening in San Antonio?
The San Antonio Spurs are finishing a new $500 million campus — The Rock at La Cantera.
▪️ New practice facility
▪️ Performance research center
▪️ 22-acre park
▪️ Public plaza
▪️ Retail spacePhase I will be done when their #1 draft pick arrives for training camp in October. pic.twitter.com/gd4XLb917T
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 23, 2023
Sochan: It’s big time! I haven’t been yet but after practice, I was getting treatment, Coach Popovich told me he went and that it was a crazy experience. He said it was beautiful. He said that it’s not only basketball but it looks artsy. I think it’s going to bring us more together. A bunch of people have said there are a bunch of places where we can chill and talk to each other and play video games. There are lounges and there are a lot of opportunities to grow. I’m super excited, and I think it’s going to be beautiful.
You can get cheeky on the court. Who in the NBA can keep up with you?
Sochan: I think it’s Steven Adams. He’s just not fazed. He has fun with it. It’s like a healthy trash talk, which is cool to have on the court as long as it is competitive. I love it when people talk trash. It’s fun to have it like that. It would be boring if no one was talking trash.
RELATED: Steven Adams told the silliest story about Spurs rookie Jeremy Sochan pinching his nipple
Do you think you will continue to shoot one-handed free throws next year?
Sochan: I’m still shooting one-handed! It works for me. I’m open, but as of now, it’s still one-handed.
RELATED: Spurs rookie Jeremy Sochan did his best Dennis Rodman impression with one-handed free throw
