Highly anticipated Popovich update is just in time for massive ROY clash

It feels good when the San Antonio Spurs win games. Everything is right in the world. Rainbows are shining, birds are singing, and life is perfection. The only thing that can make a Spurs victory even better would be good news pertaining to the star player of the team. Fans have been waiting with bated breath for Victor Wembanyama to be released from his minutes' restriction, unleashing his recently tempered dominance, and Coach Popovich finally answered the bell.

"Good win on the road...it is a good example that in the NBA it's a 48 minute game and you just keep playing."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich talks about his team's win over the Wizards.#PorVida | @Spurs | @BallySports 📺 pic.twitter.com/5JmotGigoJ
— Bally Sports San Antonio (@BallySportsSA) January 21, 2024

Fans have been clamoring for more Wemby. They can't get enough, and there is a good reason for that. Since moving to center, Victor has been on a tear, demonstratively showcasing his bid for Rookie of the Year, but it can be even better. That's scary. When considering his impact on both sides of the ball, Wembanyama may very well be a top-five to top-ten center in the league right now.

As much as fans want the restriction, the number one overall pick also wants to be given the full go. He has communicated his desire to play as much as possible on numerous occasions. He loves basketball. However, now there is a physical reason on record for the necessity of increasing his workload.

Wemby said his legs felt heavy in the early going after sitting out against Charlotte on Friday: "Now two days without playing feels like a week...Hopefully I can play every game from now on, so it shouldn't be an issue no more."
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) January 21, 2024

Interestingly enough, Sean Elliott mentioned this during the broadcast, stating how quickly players can lose conditioning when they miss a game or two. Wembanyama confirming such a thing is only more fodder for fans desperate to see their star player on the floor more.

The news is just in time for the looming matchup with Chet Holmgren and OKC on Wednesday, January 23rd. The Silver and Black will be back home for that game after a five-game road trip. Holmgren's production has slipped the past couple of weeks, but he is still a threat to Wembanyama's journey to secure the Rookie of the Year trophy, and head-to-head matchups go a long way with voters.

If Victor's recent play is any indication of what we can expect in expanded minutes, the ROY debate will soon turn into a foregone conclusion. It already has been in the minds of some Spurs fans, but for those who have been hesitant to name the French Sensation as the frontrunner, it would be time to let go and let Wemby.

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