Gregg Popovich sends a clear message to Victor Wembanyama ahead of Game 2 of the Finals

Victor Wembanyama might have had a good Game 1 on paper with his raw statistics, but anyone who watched the game can admit that he had a subpar performance. Even Wemby himself would be the first person to say that he did not have the kind of game he liked against the New York Knicks.

One of the people who agrees with that sentiment is former San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. While he is not the coach anymore, Pop is still within the Spurs organization, so he gives his input when needed. It seems Popovich saw Game 1 and gave his valuable advice to Wemby after the game because it seems the Frenchman is convinced by what Pop said.

Victor Wembanyama wants to keep learning from Gregg Popovich after Game 1

While Mitch Johnson is the Spurs' current head coach, Popovich still has a huge influence on the locker room as the president of basketball operations. He might not be with the team day-to-day anymore, but he will give his input whenever it's needed.

It is hard to discount his impact because of his legendary coaching career with the Spurs, which includes five championships. Popovich knows what it takes to win, so Wembanyama is taking any advice he receives from Pop as gospel. Knowing that he provided feedback after Game 1, it seems Wembanyama is taking it to heart.

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Of course, Wemby did not reveal the entire message to the public, but it seems it was the right words he wanted to hear. Popovich is still an elite mentor despite being away from the coaching role for over a year now. With the advice he gave to Wembanyama, the Spurs look even scarier ahead of Game 2.

"I haven't talked to him yet, but yes, he has texted me. In the big lines, I've been bad and that I'm better than this," Wembanyama said about the message he received from Popovich.

That is the type of message that motivates any player. Knowing that it came from Popovich is unsurprising because he is known to be blunt. Of course, the entire message will probably be filled with encouraging words alongside constructive criticism, which will play a factor in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

More NBA news:

• Stephon Castle is also not too worried about how the Spurs performed in Game 1 of the NBA Finals
• Defending against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is apparently trickier than going against Jalen Brunson
• Dylan Harper provides a mature take after the Spurs' Game 1 loss to the Knicks
• Mitch Johnson is already finding the best ways to solve Victor Wembanyama's struggles
• Karl-Anthony Towns is ready to be a star for the Knicks no matter what role he plays