The San Antonio Spurs have a rich tradition of big men, going from David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and now Victor Wembanyama. Any player drafted by the Spurs goes out of their way to emulate those three players, and it’s an easy way for players to endear themselves to the San Antonio media.
This summer, the Spurs added Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintance 20th overall in the NBA Draft. While Wembanyama has the center spot locked up for the next several seasons, Quaintance stands at a powerful 6-9 and could be paired down low as a power forward.
At his first media appearance with the Silver and Black, Quaintance went out of his way to name-drop both Duncan and Wembanyama.
Jayden Quaintance Ages Spurs’ Fans
Even as Wembanyama takes the throne as the best player in the league, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Spurs fan who doesn’t think Duncan is the franchise GOAT and their favorite player.
Quaintance was born in 2007 and doesn’t remember much of Duncan’s prime, but has a family connection to the superstar.
“He was my grandfather’s favorite player as long as I remember,” he revealed to an aghast media room, who quickly realized that the younger generation is just that: younger.
While Duncan might be the Quaintance family’s favorite player on the court, it seems like Jayden and Wembanyama should be friends off the court. Both players are avid readers and chess players, although Quaintance prefers manga, and Wemby is a sci-fi fan. Maybe the team’s book club can cover Deadman Wonderland next.
“I got to play [chess] against some people on the staff earlier already, so that’s been pretty fun,” he said, clearly getting the hang of the off-court culture in San Antonio.
While injuries might delay Quaintance’s NBA debut, the Spurs are hopeful that he will impact winning, especially later in next season. Off the court, at least, he already seems like a great fit.
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