The evening of Jeremy Sochan has remained quiet on the stat sheet, but her impact was felt during her short stints on the court against the Lakers last night. Coming into play, he scored six points in 11 minutes and delivered his only assist to Wembanyama.
More importantly, he played with determination. He attacked the intervals, didn’t force it, remained focused and aggressive. A little too much, perhaps, for Vanderbilt. But it is also the other side of the coin.
However, it’s hard not to think that his hours are numbered in San Antonio. Over the past month, his playing time has completely collapsed. He had even more or less disappeared from the rotation in December. Then, with the injuries, he has played a little again for two matches, barely ten minutes.
However, the trade deadline is approaching. And seeing your playing time increase at this precise moment is not always a positive sign. We know that staff are in the habit of putting players likely to be transferred back on display, just to show them off and increase their rating.
Jeremy Sochan knows it. He is aware of it, but remains philosophical. Asked by ESPN after the meeting, he expressed his feelings with quite touching sincerity:
« When I look back on my life, I realize that I’ve moved around a lot. I left home at 15 and this is the first time since then that I’ve stayed in one place for more than a year. San Antonio is my home. I feel like I’ve given a lot of blood and sweat to this city. »
Drafted in 2022 by the Spurs, Sochan was part of the future of the Texan franchise in recent years, but the wheel seems to have turned. His playing time, long stable around 28 minutes on average, fell below 15 this season, and his statistics have logically suffered. He, who averaged more than 11 points over his first three seasons, now averages less than five points per game.
« I want to put all the energy I have into where I am. And for now, I’m here. So I stay here. But that doesn’t depend on me. I feel like there are waves. There are ups and downs. There are sunny days and dark ones. I think my career has always been like that. »
« I feel like I tried really hard to do the right thing, but sometimes things happen that you can’t control. Some are positive, others negative. It’s been dark, but what can I do? I can’t control it. The most important thing is to stay in the present, and that’s what I do. »
Were these Jeremy Sochan’s last words in a San Antonio Spurs jersey? Either way, as he himself said, he doesn’t control his destiny. It was with fatalism, and a touch of sadness, that he returned to the locker room last night, simply waiting for others to decide his future.
Tension after Lakers-Spurs: Vanderbilt and Sochan get confused
