Subscribe
Follow Us
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie noticed an extremely tall presence in the back of the room during his most recent post-game press conference.
“Big man in the back,” Champagnie said to the individual who had just entered the room.
“Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs,” the for-the-moment reporter identified himself as before asking a question about a play that occurred on he night.
“Why didn't you dunk it on the fast break?”
Champagnie paused before answering.
“I choose not to answer those kinds of questions in the media.”
“Next,” the New York City native concluded.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama asks the questions
The in-good-fun exchange after a 96-87 victory vs. the Brooklyn Nets between the NBA's most recent generational talent and his teammate was not over.
“Victor Wembanyama turns 21 next week,” a reporter chimed after Champagnie indicated he was ready to move on from Wemby's query.
“January 4th?”
The Spurs 23-year-old forward blurted it out with a good idea about his team's leading scorer's birth date.
“Yep,” Wemby, still standing behind a camera, responded.
“Oh man, oh man,” Champagnie exclaimed with a sense of pride that he had guesstimated his famous teammate's birthday correctly.
The actual reporter then followed up.
“What are you getting him for a birthday present?”
“I don't even know yet. We've got to figure that one out. This guy's a …,” Champagnie answered as he struggled to finish his thought.
“I might get him a book. I might get him a book,” the Spurs forward repeated.
“I don't know if I'll read it,” Wembanyama deadpanned.
Moments later, the Spurs head of media relations, with Champagnie's interview time nearing three and a half minutes and with the questions becoming increasingly light hearted, ended the session.
A fun night all the way around for Julian Champagnie
Friday's victory in Brooklyn served as a homecoming for Champagnie. Born in the New York City borough of Staten Island, Champagnie starred for St. John's University. His high school alma mater, Bishop Loughlin, is located down the road from the Barclays Center, which is the Nets home arena.
His 18 points that night were second on the Spurs behind only Wembanyama's 19. The now reserve player hit five of the seven three-pointers he took and six of nine shots from the field.
It's natural to assume Champagnie, whose team took on the New Y0rk Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Christmas Day, carried a little extra motivation into the middle portion of a road trip that started in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“Absolutely, this is home. I've got to show or something,” the third year Spur said before he slightly downplayed the feat with a grin.
“Nah, a game is a game and a win is a win.”
After starting in 59 of the Spurs' 74 games last season, Champagnie started the first 26 games he played this year. As the team got players back from injury, including second leading scorer Devin Vassell, and with rookie Stephon Castle's emergence, the coaching staff moved Champagnie to the bench.
As Friday night indicated, Chamagnie is making the most of it while having fun along the way.
