San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
‘Modern-day guards’ hold key to future
Primo and Wesley intrigue team with unconventional skills
LAS VEGAS — On the same day last week that Spurs Hall of Famer George Gervin was in San Antonio talking about the franchise’s past, assistant coach Mitch Johnson was in Las Vegas discussing its future.
A four-time NBA scoring champion and 12-time All-Star as a revolutionary 6-foot-7 shooting guard, Gervin was at a news conference where he helped reintroduce the iconic black-on-black “San Antonio” jerseys the Spurs will wear at select games this season as part of the club’s 50th anniversary celebration.
“Finger rolling,” said Gervin, 70. “I was doing a lot of fingerrolling back then.”
As the son of the late pointforward pioneer and NBA champion John Johnson, who faced Gervin in the 1970s and 1980s, Mitch Johnson is well aware of Gervin’s trademark shot. But minutes after the Spurs opened summer league play with a loss to Cleveland last Monday, the coach of the Summer Spurs was more concerned with the moves of two 19-yearold guards.
To Johnson and the rest of the Spurs coaches in Vegas, secondyear pro Josh Primo and firstround rookie Blake Wesley represent the future for a franchise in a full-scale rebuild after missing the playoffs the past three seasons.
“Blake Wesley and Josh Primo are the modern-day guards,” Johnson said. “They are not classic throwback point guards. They are not classic throwback shooting guards in terms of how we used to define those things years ago. They are attacking guards, so that’s going to be a thing we will continue to develop, evolve, grow, teach, partner with them on.”
The Spurs didn’t get to see much of Primo during summer league after a positive COVID-19 test landed him in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. In two games, he averaged 15.0 points on 33.0 shooting from the field (50 percent from 3-point range on six attempts) and 4.5 assists against 3.0 turnovers.
With the Spurs having traded All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray to Atlanta last month, Primo could be the club’s floor general next season. With that in mind, the coaches were pleased to see him take on a leadership role in Vegas.
“I think Primo being a vet is the one who is trying to do that, which is a positive,” Johnson said when asked which player had stepped up as a leader at summer league. “We have to be careful not to push that. We want that to happen naturally. But I think he did a good job.”
Meanwhile, Wesley impressed with his nonstop motor and elite athleticism.
Drafted 25th overall out of Notre Dame, Wesley struggled at times with his shooting and ball security but maintained his aggressiveness throughout summer league, which ended with the Spurs facing Memphis late Saturday afternoon after dropping their first four games.
“Blake is obviously a very dynamic driver, very athletic,” Johnson said. “His speed stands out.”
Wesley entered Saturday’s game as the 14th-leading summer league scorer at 19.0 points per game on 34.2 percent shooting from the field and 37.5 percent accuracy from 3-point range on 6.0 attempts per outing. He shot 81.0 percent from the freethrow line on 5.3 attempts and averaged 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists (3.3 turnovers) and 1.5 steals.
“I’m learning from all of it,” Wesley said.
While the other guard the Spurs drafted in the first round isn’t as athletic as Wesley, Malaki Branham has stood out with his determined halfcourt game. He struggled early while trying to find his footing next to Primo and Wesley but flashed his skills more easily after Primo was sidelined.
The Spurs selected Branham, a former Ohio State standout, 20th overall.
“Malaki has a little bit of a throwback game, kind of crafty, uses a change of speed, finds his spots for ways to score,” Johnson said.
Branham entered Saturday’s game averaging 13.5 points on 39.6 percent shooting from the floor and 33.3 accuracy from beyond the arc on 4.5 attempts. He has connected on 66.7 percent of his free throw attempts and averaged 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
“I would rate myself gradewise probably a C, C-plus,” Branham said. “I feel I need to be more aggressive. I’m looking for my shot but also creating for others. Just learning every game and learning every play as well.”
Back in San Antonio, Gervin gave a thumbs up to the 2022 draft class headed by former Baylor forward Jeremy Sochan, who has been sidelined in Vegas for precautionary reasons after a stint in the health and safety protocols.
“You all know who Pop is,” Gervin said of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. “Pop knows talent. He has a system that’s been working for years. He has some young guys that I know will be ready to play, and we’re all going to be entertained by what they do.”
And his advice for the youngsters?
“Pay attention,” Gervin said. “You’re learning from the best. You have the best franchise to be a part of. You see the history. I’m part of the history, and I’m still here. So you’re in a special place. And come ready to work, because if you want to stay, you have to be able to work.”