“You kind of get excited,” he said. “I think we realize what we’re capable of doing. I really feel comfortable with this team. I think in terms of experience it was a great year for us. Obviously we had a lot of ups and downs during the season, but it’s a process. It’s not something that’s going to click right away. We need to build this up and I think we’re in good position to do that.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

  • Fellow Frenchman Nicolas Batum was amazed by Wembanyama’s performance in a double overtime game against the Sixers on Sunday, McDonald states in a separate story. Batum thought Wembanyama wound eventually become a dominant NBA player, but he didn’t expect him to take over a game with 33 points, 18 rebounds, seven blocks and six assists as a rookie. “I didn’t think he would do that in year one,” Batum said. “I was like, maybe year two. That’s the only thing I am kind of surprised about.”
  • Keldon Johnson may be done for the season after appearing to re-aggravate a left foot sprain on Sunday, McDonald adds. Coach Gregg Popovich credited Johnson for accepting a reserve role this season that saw him come off the bench in 42 of the 69 games he played. “He showed a lot of leadership in that regard,” Popovich said. “Overall, he’s matured a lot this season and really become one of the elder players mentally, so to speak.” Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan are already sidelined with injuries that will force them to miss the rest of the season.
  • Wembanyama is eager to try to win a gold medal for France at this year’s Summer Olympics in Paris, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “We are representing the home country. It is going to be a very big deal,” he said. “I can’t wait. This is really a dream for me, to be in the Olympics. A lifelong dream. Like everything, I want to make the most out of it. When I was a kid when I just started basketball, I always told my parents that I wanted to be in Rio in 2016 with the basketball team. I am a little bit late. But it is all good.”