Spurs’ rookie, Jeremy Sochan looks to pump life back into a defeated Spurs franchise

All-Star, Dejounte Murray’s sudden departure from the Spurs this offseason has left a massive hole in the team’s roster and in the hearts of many Spurs fans. Spurs rookie, Jeremy Sochan will be looking to fill them both.

The San Antonio Spurs selected 19-year-old, Jeremy Sochan from Baylor with the 9th pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Sochan entered the draft as one of the youngest, yet, most experienced players in the draft, having already played professionally in England, Poland, and Germany in his teens. As a freshman for Baylor in 2021, Sochan averaged 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds a game, while playing, arguably, the best defense in his division. He ended his season at Baylor by winning the Big-12 Sixth Man of the Year award.

On the Spurs, Sochan brings some much needed on-ball defense, athleticism, and hustle, a much sought after trait in modern-day basketball. As his spot-up shooting and post-game continues to improve over the years, the position-fluid, Sochan, has the potential to develop into an all-round threat.

However, Sochan’s most significant impact on the Spurs may not even come from his performance on the court. In recent years, Spurs fans have been left despondent as their team has slowly transformed from a dynasty to a team that has failed to make the playoffs for the last three seasons. Without even playing in an NBA game, Sochan’s exuberant personality (and funky hairstyles) has already cemented him as a fan-favourite amongst Spurs fans.

Sochan has a contagiously positive approach to the game of basketball. Always donning his signature tooth-gapped smile, you can already find Sochan interacting with the Spurs fanbase across a variety of social media platforms. His accounts primarily revolve around him answering questions with his fans and giving fans a first-hand glimpse through his life.

On media day, Sochan surprised fans with his Rodman-esque fiesta-themed hairstyle, which paid homage to the Spurs’ retro branding. His hairstyle has also garnered him the endearing nickname, “Sprinkles” by his teammates, which has started to spread amongst Spurs fans.

The journey back to a championship will indubitably be a difficult journey for the Spurs. However, Jeremy Sochan, who brings a certain level of grit to the game, alongside some much-needed youthful energy and positivity, is the perfect player to spearhead the rebuild of one of the greatest franchises in NBA history.