Spurs legend and NBA Hall of Famer Tim Duncan is reportedly expected to return to the franchise next season to assist in the development of French phenom Victor Wembanyama, the widely-presumed No. 1 selection in the 2023 NBA draft.
San Antonio, which won the top pick in Tuesday’s draft lottery, plans to enlist Duncan’s services as an on-court mentor for Wembanyama as he transitions to the NBA, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Duncan, the No. 1 overall pick in 1997, will reportedly assist the 19-year-old throughout the season when the team is in town.
“The expectation is that [Duncan] will regularly visit the team’s practice facility to work with Wembanyama when the Spurs are home,” Stein reported in his latest newsletter released Saturday.
It’s unknown if Duncan will join the Spurs in an official capacity, but his reported involvement will be the first time the five-time NBA champion and 15-time All-Star will work closely with the team since he served as an assistant coach in the 2019–20 season.
Watch the NBA with fuboTV. Start your free trial today.
Stein’s report adds another striking headline to a week centered around Wembanyama with the well-documented sweepstakes to land the rights to draft him now over.
The Spurs’ anticipated selection of Wembanyama will mark the first time since Duncan, who retired in 2016 after 19 seasons, that the team has selected a top pick. It will also be the third time in franchise history (David Robinson, 1987) they’ve had the No. 1 selection.
With the buzz surrounding the new era continuing to build, Duncan’s return on top of a No. 1 pick's arrival is sure to greatly excite Spurs fans as the franchise, fresh off a 22-60 season, rebuilds for the future. Not to mention, learning from one of the NBA’s all-time greats should lead to a boost for the much-hyped prospect both on the floor and with his new fanbase.
