Spurs Player Reviews

2023-24 Spurs Player Reviews: Jeremy Sochan

The sophomore found some footing after being miscast in a point guard experiment.

By Jacob Douglas May 17, 2024, 7:30am CDT

Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2023-24 player reviews! The series will look at the 15 players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts (so no two-way players because we saw so little of them this year, and no Doug McDermott). Enjoy!

Jeremy Sochan

2023-24 stats: 74 games, 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 43.8%FG

Contract Status: 2 year, $12.6 million remaining

Age: 20

This year was nearly two completely different seasons for Jeremy Sochan. There was the first 25 games where Sochan was the subject of a point guard experiment by the San Antonio Spurs coaching staff. Then came the rest of the season when he was allowed to play his natural position off the ball. Those first 25 games were not pretty, as Sochan struggled mightily with lead ball-handler duties. Defenses pressure him full court and dared him to make plays in the pick and roll. The results were high turnover nights and uneven offensive performances all around.

“There have been moments where it’s like, ‘Yo, I don’t want to.’ It’s like, ‘f--- this s---.’ I’m going to be honest,” Sochan said mid-season. “There have been moments where there isn’t confidence. But there are moments of being confident and just working. Knowing the trust I have from the coaches and players, it helps.”

Gregg Popovich and his staff wanted Sochan to develop more on-ball skills. If nothing else, the team learned what Sochan’s limits are as a primary ball-handler. When the Spurs inserted Tre Jones into the starting lineup and moved Sochan off the ball, the offense started to improve with a real floor general on the court. Once that change was made, Sochan started to make strides as an off-ball cutter, using Victor Wembanyama’s gravity to find easy looks in the openings on the floor.

Sochan improved as a three-point shooter this season. He shot 30.8% from deep on 3.4 attempts per game. While he’s certainly not a sharpshooter, his willingness to take shots from deep and occasionally make the defense pay for sagging off him was a big development from his rookie season. Sochan has a great motor, averaging nearly 2 offensive rebounds per game. He generates shots around the rim with his athleticism and energy. He was just okay at finishing those looks in the paint, making 65.9% of his attempts at the rim.

The biggest development for Sochan came on the defensive end. Sochan stepped into a “stopper” role, being asked to guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player, nightly. He posted a 1.9 defensive win share in 2023-24. With Wembanyama locking down the paint, Sochan did an admirable job stepping up to make it difficult for opposing scorers.

Looking forward

Sochan had an up and down season offensively. For every 20+ point explosion came a single-digit affair. He had a hot shooting stretch from November to January, but was cold the rest of the season. In order to be a part of the Spurs long-term plans, Sochan has to find a consistent offensive role. Whether that’s becoming a respectable shooter who can space the floor, or a savvy cutter and finisher who can play off of Wembanyama. Improving in those areas will be vital to his long-term development.

Luckily, we know Sochan is constantly in the gym with Spurs shooting coach, Jimmy Barron. Getting a full summer to work with Barron could do wonders for his shot. It already improved incrementally from his rookie to sophomore season. Sochan seems like a no-drama, team-friendly player who will buy into what the staff wants him to do (the point guard experiment is evidence of that.) That should give Spurs fans some hope that he can develop into a key player next to Wembanyama.

Acquiring more floor spacers this offseason could help Sochan’s offensive game. Last season teams weren’t overly concerned with guarding the Spurs on the perimeter, instead sending multiple defenders at Wembanyama inside. The paint clogged up and players like Sochan struggled to make an impact. Once San Antonio starts to stretch the defense out, guys like Sochan and Wembanyama will find more success on the interior.

Sochan will be extension eligible in in two seasons. As of right now, it’s hard to imagine the Spurs would offer him the max rookie-scale extension they gave Devin Vassell last offseason. These next two years will be crucial to Sochan’s future with the team. Making strides on the offensive end should help Sochan earn his second contract and lead to more wins for the Spurs.