No Longer 'Watching From the Sideline,' Spurs' Charles Bassey Earning His Keep

SAN ANTONIO — Charles Bassey wasn't a first-timer at the podium, but for the second time in three weeks, he was up there. This time after a strong performance against the Pelicans.

Stepping through the door, surprise painted his face. An unheard murmur directed at a team staffer confirmed that.

"Out here?" Bassey seemed to ask.

"Yep," was the response. "That's what happens when you save the game."

The San Antonio Spurs' center, filling in this particular night for an ejected Zach Collins and hampered Victor Wembanyama, made his way to his seat and began to field questions.

Perhaps sitting in the spotlight for a night was a reward, of sorts. But as Bassey explained, so was playing at all.

"The past two seasons I've been watching from the sideline," the center said. "This year, I've focused more on my body. Making sure I'm healthy ... doing everything I've got to do to make sure I'm ready every game, playing or not."

Two seasons ago, the latter was the truth. After being waived by the Philadelphia 76ers — who picked him in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft — Bassey joined the Spurs on a two-way contract just as the 2022-23 regular season was getting underway in October.

Sep 30, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Charles Bassey (28) poses for photos during Media day at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The center showed enough to earn himself a standard contract on Valentine's Day, but a month later, a fractured left patellar tendon requiring surgery, ended his season. That put him on the road to recovery — the story of his sophomore summer.

"I've been working all summer on my body," Bassey said in anticipation for his second season with the Spurs. "I'm feeling great. I'm in shape. I'm conditioned, so I'm feeling good."

Again, his stint was short lived. Bassey tore his ACL in December, marking his second straight season-ending injury. It further postponed what he hoped would be a marvelous return.

"It sucks, truthfully," Spurs shooting guard Devin Vassell said of his teammate. "Prayers up for C. Bass. We've all got our arms around him, trying to help him out. We've got to be there for him mentally."

Two years of staying at the ready with a hope of earning meaningful minutes taught Bassey valuable lessons. None were greater than what he repeated at the podium, speaking on his arduous two seasons.

"You never know what's going to happen," he said. "(I'm just) staying ready at any time ... my mentality is going into every game knowing I'm going to play."

The result this particular night was 16 points and four blocks — Bassey's fourth game in 16 tries with numerous blocks and third time finishing in double figures offensively. For a backup center, as Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson noted, that was nearly perfect.

"He played the role that we needed him to," the coach said. "Energy, activity, physicality, athleticism. When he does that, the ball finds him and he makes plays on both ends."

"When I came back, I saw Bassey grabbing as many rebounds as he can," Wembanyama added. "It was good to see him go to work like that. He stepped up real well."

For the better part of his NBA career, Charles Bassey was unsure of when he'd get to take the floor.

His health was constantly in question — something he was sorely reminded of every time he warmed the bench — and without a true spot in the rotation, there was no telling how long that might last.

But with Zach Collins dealing with some injuries of his own, or in the case against the Pelicans, getting ejected, Bassey was gifted an opportunity.

The result was simple: He "saved the game."

"Every time I'm out there," Bassey began, "I'm catching the coach's eye ... help(ing) the team win."

Dec 8, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Charles Bassey (28) goes up for a shot between New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) and guard Brandon Boston Jr. (11) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

As for whether sharing the floor with his teammates far exceeds the experience that comes with watching from the sideline?

"Of course," the center explained. "Everybody wants to play," "We don't pick the lineups. We've just got to come ready. It's next-man-up mentality."

Moving forward, Bassey's role will still be relatively unknown. He's utilized his chance to fill in for Collins and give Wembanyama some help in the front court, but with so many moving variables, there isn't any telling how long he'll have the chance to get the spotlight. But he isn't concerned about that.

All he knows is that he's made his case with the Spurs and that good things happen when he plays well, like sitting at the front of the media room to field questions about his arduous journey.

And this time, it's his teammates who are taking notice of him.

"We saw him almost all last year, last summer doing his rehab, his conditioning" Wembanyama said, speaking on Bassey's work ethic. "It feels good to finally see him get minutes, and good minutes."