San Antonio Spurs ready for upcoming season after player injuries

San Antonio Spurs ready for upcoming season

The San Antonio Spurs seem to be excited ahead of training camp starting this week.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The San Antonio Spurs seem to be excited ahead of training camp starting this week. 

The head coach said many of the players who have been injured are healing up, and it should be a good season.

What they're saying:

Keldon Johnson, now considered a veteran on the San Antonio Spurs, was drafted in 2019. His first assignment was with the Austin Spurs.

"I feel like it really helped me become a true professional. I feel like I had a talent. I was a young kid, I was talented, but I feel like to really hone in on all the professional habits and things like that. I feel like Austin really helped me, and the people there were great as well. I feel like they really allowed me to make mistakes but still grow as a man, so I feel like it was a very home place, it will always be home for me, so when we get to go back and play in Austin, it’s like I’m playing at home for myself," Johnson said.

This year, Johnson is set to be joined by new additions, veterans De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes, rookie Dylan Harper, and the big man, Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama has been cleared after having a blood clot issue last year. Part of his offseason included a trip to China and NASA.

"This is something I wanted to do and just because I’m NBA doesn’t mean I’m going to keep myself from experiencing those things," Wembanyama said.

The start of this season will be the first in 30 years without Coach Gregg Popovich at the helm, but now full-time head coach Mitch Johnson said Pop is still close by.

"I think about him a lot and I talk to him also, so he’s still sharing his mentorship and ideas and thoughts and advice, but I think setting the tone is it’s my job to set the vision and expectations for the players, and then it’s their job to bring that to life," Coach Johnson said.

"I feel like we will definitely be able to make some noise and win a lot of games," Keldon Johnson said.

What's next:

The San Antonio Spurs’ first preseason game is Wednesday, Oct. 8.