Blake WesleyThe third-year guard for the San Antonio Spurs has undergone growth and development over the past few seasons while patiently waiting for his opportunity. Wesley stands at 6’4″ and his combination of speed, skill and defensive acumen makes him a potential breakout player for the Spurs.
Wesley spent his early years in the Association alternating between the San Antonio Spurs and their G-League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.
In an interview with HoopsHype on behalf of Herbalife, Wesley talked about his journey, his enthusiasm for learning from others Chris Paulthe Spurs are an underdog team and more.
BW: Especially. Because when I was their age, I couldn’t go to a pro camp or have an NBA player at a camp. I just went to the local Boys and Girls Club and had a wonderful basketball camp. So for them to be able to see me and get my name out there is really important to me, especially coming all the way to Minnesota. So yeah, I’m having fun.
BW: It’s crazy. I mean, I’m from a small town in South Bend. It’s definitely different. It’s a small town and you don’t get a lot of attention there. But I’m very blessed to have the opportunity to play in the NBA. As a little boy from South Bend, I’m very blessed. I want to thank God every day for putting me in this position. And yes, I can truly say I’m blessed.
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BW: Absolutely. The game is slowing down for me. The older I get, the more reps I get. I played a couple games in the G League, 10 games and then a little spark game I had with San Antonio. I never looked back. I just kept going and never looked back. When I got to the G League, I definitely got better with the new coaching staff and new players. I really appreciate that. My strength is my speed, running downhill, finding people, taking open shots and playing defense. So I just try to play my role.
BW: I’m excited, man. He’s a great guy. I just worked out. We worked out with him not too long ago in the Summer League. Yeah. So, it’s good. He’s a great guy. He talks to me, coaches me, tells me to put the ball in my hands. So, so far, I’m enjoying it and I can’t wait to learn and gain the knowledge. Really utilize what he has. So, I’m excited.
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BW: Yes, of course. I remember him and Blake Griffin from the “Lob City”. Chris Paul is one of the people I liked growing up, so it’s kind of crazy that he’s my teammate. I still remember when he and Griffin went live. I’m excited for this year, wanting to move forward, get more wins and just be a winner.
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BW: I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people. We still have a lot of doubters and deniers. We want people to sleep on us because that will only motivate us, especially me. We just got Victor, Harrison BarnesAnd Chris Paul. We’ve added some veterans to the team, so we hope to do well this year.
BW: I just play my role, don’t do too much, put in the work so the work pays off. I just play my role, make open shots, try not to do too much. And yeah, mostly defense. I love playing defense. That’s my number one priority.
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BW: Absolutely. He’s always been a defensive coach. That’s what I heard before I came into the league. So my mindset when I first got there was to play defense and get on the field. That’s what I did when I first started playing. I started playing defense and just making the right decisions. But my first goal this year is to play defense and make winning plays. So that’s my main focus.
BW: Everyone on the NBA team was the most important player on their team, at least in college. So it’s definitely a learning process, definitely a rebuilding process. As soon as I got accepted, I was drafted. Then I saw Dejounte Murray traded. I thought, “Oh, I think we’re going back to rebuild.” I think they’re rebuilding. So it’s fun. It’s fun to come together, get the guys together, train together so we can build that bond. And then hopefully one of these years we’ll win a championship.
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BW: It’s definitely fear. You can play well, you can play poorly, you can play mediocre and you can still get traded. It’s all a business. That’s why I keep going every day. I work hard and just do the right thing so I’m prepared for anything.
BW: You have to watch people. You have to be careful who you are with. I usually watch Tre Jones. He has a really good demeanor. He has a wife and children. He has a good demeanor. He is a good conversationalist, a pleasant person to be around. So I try to take my cues from him, sometimes even off the pitch. Davonte Grahamtoo. Even though he’s not with us anymore, he’s a great person and a great role model for me, and he helped me throughout the whole process when he was with us. So yeah.
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BW: Changed a lot. Changed the way I deal with people. You can’t let everybody in your life and your circle. You have to have a small circle because people want to see you lose; people want to see you win. One day people are fickle and the next day they love you. So I just try to stay close to God, close to my family, close to the people that have been with me since day one, not just because I’m in the NBA. People would come to my house and spend time with my family and me. So I stay close to those people and don’t let the outside noise in. That’s how I operate.
BW: My GOAT is Michael Jordan just because of the things he did.
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BW: My top 5 of all time is Michael Jordan on the one, Kobe Bryant on the two, Lebron James among the three, Kevin Garnett at the four, and Bill Russell at five o’clock.
BW: I was at Herbalife Extravaganza and first they did the clinic with me and Joel Bonusar. Yes, yes. Over a hundred kids talked about nutrition. We took a basketball class, learned a little bit of basic skills, did some shooting drills and just gave back to the community. That’s what I’m passionate about. I love giving back to the community because I was once in their situation myself. So it’s really good for me to give back and I enjoy it today.
