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MANILA, Philippines — Imagine being a young basketball player. Four years into your career, you are playing not just one, but two, generational basketball talents. That opportunity could easily be explained as being blessed.
Just ask Jeremy Sochan.
Sochan, a power forward for the San Antonio Spurs, is relishing the opportunity of playing with Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama.
Paul is widely regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, while the 7-foot-5, sweet-shooting Wembanyama is one of the brightest young stars of the league.
Sochan, who played 54 games and started 23 of them, in the 2024-25 season, said that it is “truly amazing” to play with the two generational players.
“I didn't know what to expect with Chris Paul coming. To me, when he came, I think I was amazed at how much he loves the game,” he told reporters during his media availability at the NBA Philippines headquarters in Taguig City Wednesday.
“You know, he's 40 years old. He's done basically everything that you can. And sometimes you would expect players like that to, like, you know, just chill, kind of coast through. But to me, you know, he played 82 games, played hard,“ Sochan, who averaged 11.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this season, added.
“The things he sees on the court are amazing. And to me, I learned a lot from, you know, being by his side and working with him on the court, off the court, during games, during practice, film. So I learned a lot.”
The 40-year-old Paul played all 82 games for San Antonio this season, the first time he did so since the 2014-15 season with the LA Clippers. He averaged 8.8 points, 7.4 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game in 28.0 minutes a contest.
Playing with Wembanyama, Sochan said, is “amazing,” given on what the unicorn could do on the court.
“But I think, you know, people don't see how much he works off the court, on his body, on his mental, on his game. And I think that's truly amazing,” he said.
“And that's what's going to make him great. So, you know, it's truly a blessing to be around those types of players and being around this type of organization. So, yeah, it's been great.”
“Wemby” made the All Star team this season but was shut down for the season in February after a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
He averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a league-leading 3.8 blocks in 46 games.
This is the second year in a row that he led the NBA in blocks.
And with Paul and Wembanyama in the forefront of the team, as well as newly crowned Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, speedy guard De’Aaron Fox, wingers Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Sochan in the fold, the sky is the limit for the Spurs.
“I think, we have so many different pieces now. Some older, some younger. So there's going to be a lot of ups and downs, of course. But there's no reason to put a limit to it. And, you know, I think we're going to go as far as we can,” Sochan said.
“And, of course, the goal is to make it to the final and win it. So, you know, we'll see. It's going to be a lot of different obstacles. But I think, you know, everyone in the building from front office to coaches to players, you know, have the same aspirations.”
