With Spurs Future Uncertain, Sochan Keeps Putting Work In

The Spurs needed a spark.

Memphis had stormed out of the locker room and opened the second half on a 13-3 run to take the lead. Mitch Johnson said after the game that San Antonio lacked the focus and competitiveness he wanted out of halftime.

He found some in the person of Jeremy Sochan, who finds himself at a crossroads in the early stages of his career.

The Spurs selected Sochan tenth overall in the 2022 draft, and since then they’ve asked him to do everything from starting point guard to backup center. Since the beginning of December, they’ve mostly asked him to sit on the bench.

This is a prove-it year for Sochan, who will become a restricted free agent after his rookie contract comes to an end this season. It must be frustrating that he hasn’t gotten much run, but he doesn’t let it show when he's with his teammates. However, he did channel that frustration in a healthy way on Tuesday night.

When Sochan got on the floor he wasted no time getting back to the three things he does best: playing defense, chasing loose balls, and irritating people.

He applied the clamps in the backcourt to force an 8-second violation. Then he grabbed an offensive board and on the same possession chased another one that looked close, but officials said the Grizzlies touched it last. Memphis’ bench wasn’t happy, and Sochan enthusiastically told them to challenge it. They did, and they lost the challenge.

Later on in between Memphis free throws, Sochan stepped between the shooter and his teammate to break up a high-five attempt. He committed to being a royal pain for every precious moment he was on the court. He put himself in Jaren Jackson Jr.’s jersey, contributed to a few turnovers, and got the ball up quickly in fast breaks off of boards and takeaways.

Jeremy Sochan: Chaotic good 3rd quarter pic.twitter.com/w0OOCclm01
— Silver & Black Coffee Hour (@SlvrBlkCoffeeHr) January 7, 2026

“Absolutely phenomenal. He played 14 minutes, six rebounds, two fouls, I love that part, he plays hard,” said Julian Champagnie. “He came in and gave us a spark off the bench, and we needed that, like a lot. Shoutout to J-So staying ready and doing his thing. Obviously some of the things that he does doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, but just the energy and the approach that he brings is something that we needed tonight and ultimately kept us in the game.”

“I thought Jeremy was excellent,” Mitch Johnson said. “The box score, like the real score, can be misleading. I thought he was a huge positive for us, way more than whatever the box score says.”

The box score says Sochan grabbed six boards, three on the offensive end, and that the Spurs outscored the Grizzlies by six in his minutes. In the second half, San Antonio lost the non-Sochan minutes by 15.

The box score also says that he missed all three of his attempts from long-range. 3-point shooting has never been a strong suit for Sochan, and he probably wouldn’t have as hard a time finding minutes if his deep ball hit the target more reliably. He’s 0-16 since November 20, a brutal stretch after starting the season 7-13.

Sochan got a golden opportunity to atone in the final minute against Memphis when Luke Kornet found him wide open in the corner. If the shot fell, it would have given San Antonio a two-point lead with 25 seconds to go. It rimmed out, and Sochan’s frustration was apparent. He knew what that shot would have meant for his team, and for him.

It wasn't meant to be on this night. It was another disappointing miss for Sochan in another disappointing loss for the Spurs.

His coach, however, was probably happy with Sochan’s decision to shoot the open look.

“Thought we missed some really good shots, thought we turned down even more shots,” Johnson said after a recent loss to the Trail Blazers. “I don’t know if that was more of a byproduct of us missing the shots or what their defense was doing, but regardless, you can’t turn down shots in this league. When you get a good shot, you’ve gotta take it, regardless of what’s been going on if it’s open and in rhythm.”

If Sochan could’ve made the shot fall based purely on his desire, it would have hit nothing but net. He can’t control that outcome, and he can’t control how many minutes he plays. All he can control is his attitude and his work, and the 22-year-old is taking a mature approach.

He’s locked in at shootaround, and he’s the same goofy and lovable guy despite the difficult situation. He keeps his body ready, hitting the stationary bike multiple times per game in the unlikely event that he’s called upon to play meaningful minutes.

Not so long ago Sochan was seen by many inside and outside the organization as an important part of San Antonio’s young core. As the trade deadline approaches, his future with the franchise appears murky.

On one hand, the Spurs seem poised to make a move for some outside shooting and probably don’t want to shake up their main rotation. Given his shooting struggles and his lack of playing time, Sochan seems a likely candidate to be shipped out in a deal like that. His expiring contract and his untapped potential could make him an attractive trade asset to the right team. If the Spurs are planning on letting him walk in the summer, they would be wise to try to get something for him while they still can.

On the other hand, a version of Jeremy Sochan that reaches closer to his potential would be pretty valuable to San Antonio. He brings a level of energy and intensity that this team loves and needs. He cleans the glass and plays with pace. He loves to defend and get under his opponents’ skin. He's happy to tussle with anyone who gets too handsy with Victor Wembanyama.

He’s a big wing who can guard the other team’s center and then switch onto their point guard in pick and roll, which would allow Wemby to rove off the ball and wreck everything. Sochan’s hard-nosed personality fits the brand of basketball these Spurs are working to establish, and any team that wants to be great defensively could use his services.

Sochan’s appeal on the offensive end has always been his versatility at his size, his theoretical ability to do a little bit of everything. In order for him to become an impactful offensive player he’ll need to show that he can do at least a few of those things consistently.

Shooting likely isn’t going to be one of those things, at least not right now. Perhaps he can take a page from teammate Luke Kornet’s book and focus on the dirty work. Kornet breathed new life into his career when he abandoned the 3-point shot and leaned into the traditional big man stuff.

Sochan can use his physicality to set punishing screens for Wembanyama or any of the talented guards on San Antonio’s roster. He’s a solid short-roll passer who can find open teammates, and he’s got enough pop and touch to finish at the rim. If he does all of that and steals extra possessions for his team by grabbing offensive boards, he can make up for his lack of shooting enough to make him playable on that end.

The Spurs may need Sochan’s defense and energy again on Wednesday night as they host the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s done a good job in the past of guarding and irritating LeBron James and Luka Doncic, and that’s a difficult thing to do.

Maybe he did enough against the Grizzlies to earn a little more burn. Maybe he won’t play a minute in the next game. One thing that’s certain, though, is that Jeremy Sochan will be ready if he's called upon.

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