Last night Julian Champagnie nailed 11 three-pointers, the most in Spurs franchise history since Chuck Person hit 9 on December 30, 1997, a record that stood for 28 years (and one day).
Champagnie started
against the New York Knicks in the place of Devin Vassell who was out with a left abductor strain. Four days earlier, Champagnie started in place of De’Aaron Fox against the Utah Jazz.
Prior to the Utah game Spurs Head Coach Johnson spoke regarding Champagnie toggling between starting and coming off the bench,
“It’s easier because he’s done it. Because it’s not easy, that’s what’s really hard, is jumping from starting to bench and back and forth at times. I think he’s a versatile piece for us that fits with all the lineups so that is why he has been identified or chosen by me at times to do that.”
Champagnie went undrafted in 2022 after three years at St. John’s. He admitted that not being chosen had an effect on him at the time.
“It was tough it was a hard night, I cried a lot, I was pissed but I think it just fueled the fire.”
He eventually signed a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, playing most of the season in the G-League. He was waived on Valentine’s Day 2023 and signed with the Spurs two days later. He finished the season on a two-way contract before resigning during the summer.
“Coming here from Philly, I had not clue what was going to happen. It was a long shot, a long way from home. I said, ‘let’s see if I can make this work.‘ I’m still here trying to make it work.”
Currently in the third year of his 4-year/$12M contract, the younger Champagnie twin is comfortable in his role as the Spurs have evolved into legitimate contenders.
“My first year of my actual contract, I was just trying to figure out how to play in the NBA. I think I started a bunch that year, which was tougher, but just going through that and figuring it out that was the hardest part. The best part about being here is that everybody pulls you through. Good games, bad games, felling good, feeling bad, they all do a really good job of keeping you right above water, never too high, never too low, keeping you humble.”
When asked about the confidence that Mitch Johnson has in him taking starting roles as needed and coming off the bench when necessary, Champagnie stays humble in his acceptance of contributing in any way he is asked.
“I want to be that guy for the team. I want to be a guy they can rely on to fix any problem they have, that’s my goal and I want do that and I feel like I get to start when guys go out, it’s a pt on the back saying you’re doing the right thing…it’s a thing of me not letting my teammates down me not my coaches down to step up and do that.”
Champagnie hit 11 of 17 from beyond the arc last night. 33 of his 36 points were from threes, the other three from free throws made when he was fouled shooting a three. In addition, he pulled 6 boards, a component of his game that has helped define his defensive prowess.
When Victor Wembanyama went down early in the fourth quarter with a hyperextended left leg, the Spurs were down by six. A comeback look stifled until Champagnie kicked it into overdrive, scoring four of eleven threes in the final frame. It was during his run that the Spurs finally took the lead from New York and carried home the win.
As for Champagnie’s take on his historic night.
“Basketball gods, that’s what Coach Pop always said. It all comes back to you.”
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
I also think, it goes a long way for players to expect if they’re going to play, when they’re going to play, when do they come on. They’re creatures of habit from the morning —a lot of them — to they wake up and go to bed and so I think being able to help provide consistency where you can because we can control so little there are times when you don’t want to just start throwing people in there especially with a team that doesn’t have a ton of continuity and time together and a chemistry over time we lack. So I think there’s a little bit of that probably a little more conservative than I could be but I that’s what goes by in my thought process regarding that.
