Gregg Popovich On Victor Wembanyama: "He's From Europe. They're A Lot More Cultured Than We Are. They're More Civil Than We Are."

Victor Wembanyama seems to have adjusted well to life in the U.S. and while talking about his worldliness, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich took some shots at his fellow countrymen and women.

“A lot of these places (in the U.S.) are new to him but he’s a very inquisitive young man," Popovich said. "He’s from Europe. They’re a lot more cultured than we are. They’re more civil than we are. They travel, speak languages. It’s not like he’s a dumbstruck young kid. He’s pretty worldly. This hype has gone on for a very long time. It’s old hat for him. He doesn’t even notice it.”

Popovich might just have been saying that in jest, so you shouldn't take those comments too seriously. Europeans are generally considered to be more cultured than Americans, though, but I won't go as far as saying they are more civil.

You'll find plenty of uncivil people no matter where you are in the world and Europe is no exception. Perhaps if the 74-year-old lived in the continent for an extended period of time, he'd realize that, too.

As for Popovich's comments on Wembanyama, he would be used to all the hype at this point. I have never really felt like it was something that bothers him, and he is just supremely confident in his own abilities.

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Victor Wembanyama Has Had A Solid Start To His NBA Career

Wembanyama hasn't started dominating in the NBA right away as some wrongly expected him to do, but is off to a pretty solid start. The 19-year-old has averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game.

While he has had some jaw-dropping plays on offense, it is really on the defensive end where Wembanyama has shone so far. His length and quick feet have helped him have a big impact on that end of the floor and he's only going to get better with experience.

On offense, he is going to have some rough nights here and there. Teams are being physical with him and he's just going to have to get stronger to deal with it. He's also had some troubles when it comes to ball security, averaging 4.7 turnovers per game, and he definitely needs to work on that.

Wembanyama should be fine in the long run, though, but with all the hype that has come his way, every good and bad moment is going to be amplified.

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Victor Wembanyama Revealed Why Gregg Popovich Yelled At Him During Their Game Against The Rockets

While Popovich has been singing Wembanyama's praises all this time, it doesn't mean he isn't hard on him. The five-time NBA champion demands excellence from his players and holds them to a high standard. During the Spurs' game against the Rockets on Friday night, Popovich was seen yelling at Wembanyama and the teenager explained the reason behind it.

"I forgot one play that we added today actually," Wembanyama said. "So, it's a rookie mistake. 100% legitimate for him to yell at me in that moment and I apologized after the game."

Popovich would have absolutely loved to see Wembanyama take accountability. He is not someone who has a problem with being called out for making mistakes and instead, learns from them. It's why I am very confident he is going to be a special player in the NBA, provided he stays healthy.

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