5 Beyond Wemby: Spurs' Jeremy Sochan Garnering Praise, And For Good Reason
If having on-court talent wasn't enough to be an NBA icon, San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan would still fall into that category.
Even after just one season, Sochan has shown the league what he's capable of, whether that be during games or in the community. Sochan's hair makes him stick out of crowds just about anywhere he goes, but his personality does the same, especially for Spurs fans.
"[Jeremy is] one of those players where you meet him once and you remember it forever," Brandon James told Inside the Spurs in April. "He does such a good job of connecting with fans and connecting with the community, [and] does it in a way that's unique and authentic to who he is."
On the Spurs' imaginary checklist of traits for their rookies to have, Sochan easily checked the first one. But he's also brought joy to his teammates and coaches on the court — garnering praise from multiple coaches within the Spurs organization.
"[Jeremy] has been a great player to watch," San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of the rising second-year. "He does so many different things. You don't know what he's going to do exactly, but he throws it out there, he competes. ... He's a rebounder. He's a defender. And he's not afraid to make mistakes."
Not only did Sochan find success, he also proved why confidence plays a big part in young players carving out their role in the NBA. Even when he did make mistakes — he averaged 1.7 turnovers last season — it didn't affect the rest of his game or his performance in future games.
Last season, Sochan averaged 11 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 combined steals and blocks per game, making him a well-rounded player. He easily set himself apart from some of the league's other rookies in terms of performance and athleticism despite battling a knee-injury during the latter half of the year.
And the key to his success? It's simpler than you think:
"I just did my thing," Sochan said. "Overall ... this season has left a lot of hope, [and] not just for me, but for everyone. I think I stayed level-headed and just went through it."
When he wasn't playing, Sochan was supporting his other teammates — most of which also lacked NBA experience. Even though a majority of the Spurs' core was young, that didn't stop Sochan from putting himself in a leadership position, especially this summer with Victor Wembanyama entering the conversation.
"Jeremy's [been] a good influence on the guys," Spurs Summer League coach Matt Nielson said. "Credit to [him] and the way he goes about it. It's really good, [and] it will be pretty helpful for us moving forward."
Alongside Wembanyama, Sochan can expect to thrive. His floor spacing, rebounding and down-low talent can complement the 7-4 forward's passing and give Wembanyama more second-chance points, especially as he continues to work on making his jumper consistent.
And while those responsibilities differ from what Sochan is used to this year, he's well aware of the changes he'll need to adjust to ... and he's already embraced it.
"This season, I'm in a different role," Sochan said of his team leadership. "I've been in [San Antonio] for a year now, so I see little things [that they don't] and I'm able to talk to them and help them out."
So, combining Sochan's natural talent on the court with his welcoming personality off of it, the rising second-year forward has a lot to look forward to throughout his NBA career ... and that's with a knee injury.
If his knee continues to remain healthy, Sochan will easily be one of the Spurs' top options on offense, and lockdown defenders on the other end of the court. All in all, it just opens the door for him to continue to impress his coaches, which for the young Spurs, is exactly what they need and more from a player in his second season.
But then again, since when was Sochan not surpassing expectations?
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