His feelings after being selected number 1 in the Draft: “It’s hard to put into words, it’s still fresh… It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my life, it’s the best night of my life. I’ve dreamed about it for so long… It’s a dream come true, it’s unbelievable.”
The five-minute wait, between San Antonio having to choose and Adam Silver announcing, “The longest five minutes of my life!” That’s when I started to be moved, my family became silent, everyone was looking at me, I was cold, I slipped away a few moments later… Many people congratulated me. I saw Adam Silver, I thanked him again, I hugged him. Afterwards, someone gave me this (he shows the San Antonio jersey flocked to his name, with the number 1, editor’s note). Obviously, someone knew how it was going to happen (smile). I received a lot of love.”
Last Hours Before Draft: “That’s when it started to feel real.”
The words of Gregg Popovich and San Antonio executives: “It was very simple actually. I had phone calls. They just told me they were looking forward to working with me. They wanted to reassure me, encourage me because I was going to start the play-offs (with Boulogne-Levallois). Popovich? He’s not intimidating yet, but I’m sure he will be when I see him in real life (smile).
Message to San Antonio fans: “I will give 100%, do everything in my power to help this franchise win, impact the fans and the community.”
Spurs and the legacy of the French, Tony Parker, Boris Diaw: “It’s much more than a logo and a (club) name. It is one of the favorite franchises of the French. There is a heritage with very great French players, and very great players in general in fact and very great “big men”.
In the words of Tony Parker and Boris Diaw: “They didn’t really speak to me directly about the NBA because there was a very important season to play. They did, however, talk to me more about how to prepare for the NBA. We didn’t know I was going to Spurs for so long, so we didn’t get a chance to talk about San Antonio.”
His ambitions for his first season: “Some players have done everything to win the title during their career without ever achieving it. I don’t want to be part of it. My goal will be to get closer and closer to the (champion) ring and learn how to get there.”
His earliest memories of Spurs on TV: “Finals matches, 2013, 2014. Those are my earliest memories.”
No surprise but full of emotion: “Even if it was expected… You know, when you’re having a baby, you know it nine months in advance (laughs)! There, it’s a bit the same. When we have a baby, we are still moved. And me, I’m still moved because it’s mythical, it’s legendary, the sentence that Adam Silver utters… It’s something I dreamed of. I could almost touch it.”
Popovich who says that it will not be necessary to skip the stages: “It makes sense because it is very easy to make mistakes. I’m happy to have people around me to help me not to do them.”
Tim Duncan: “If I have the opportunity to work with him…I can’t think of a better role model.”
The hypothesis of learning Spanish, knowing that many Spurs fans are Spanish speakers: “I thought about it… But I’ve been very busy since the lottery (smiles). But it will happen at some point or another.”
His debut with the Spurs: “I can’t wait to wear the San Antonio shirt for the first time and start such a great adventure. You never know what can happen and that’s what’s so exciting.”
The next few days: “I have to go to several places in the United States, but tomorrow (this Friday) it will be San Antonio. We’ll have to get used to it, I’m going to have to meet a lot of people. I know roughly where I have to go, but the program is a bit overnight, it can change all the time.
On whether he was a Spurs fan growing up: “A Tony Parker fan, for sure. So yeah, I guess that made me a Spurs fan too. I’m happy, I feel so much love coming to me from Spurs supporters since the lottery. I believe there are murals in San Antonio… Couldn’t have asked for a better welcome. I love those fans.”
The return of tall players to the top of the NBA: “The game has indeed changed in the last few years. It makes sense. You have to have a combination of several factors and the best have recently been big names from Europe or elsewhere. The road will be long for me before reaching the heights but I am ready to learn. (…) I don’t know if kids who are over seven feet have much to learn from me, they can learn much more by digging deep inside themselves. The most important thing is to know yourself.”
Statements taken at a press conference
