San Antonio Spurs Season Preview: Julian Champagnie to Continue Success Story

Julian Champagnie went undrafted in 2022 after a stellar college career at St. John's and played just two forgettable games with the Philadelphia 76ers before getting waived. Since then, he has signed a multi-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs and is set to make $3 million this season and next.

Last year, Champagnie was promoted to the starting lineup. While it was clear that he was the "fifth starter" and would return to the bench this season with the addition of Harrison Barnes, he is quickly becoming the latest success story for the franchise.

Last season, the second-year sharpshooter averaged 6.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. He shot 36.5 percent and did a decent job of spacing the floor around Victor Wembanyama. He was excellent in the open floor, and provided solid, although not elite, perimeter defense.

While Champagnie got pushed out of the starting lineup, he has solidified himself as a solid NBA weapon who can contribute in a variety of ways. In a second unit featuring guards Tre Jones and Stephon Castle, along with Zach Collins and Keldon Johnson, expect Champagnie to be a key shooter and give the rookie PG a target to pass to. While Harrison Ingram will likely be chomping at the bit to get minutes, Champagnie should be able to edge him out for playing time.

During his rookie season, he received plenty of praise from Gregg Popovich, who seems to believe that he can be a long-term piece.

"He has good ability. He's got great size for his position, and we've been impressed with him," Pop said. "Julian has been a really good addition for us."

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With nearly two full seasons under his belt, the once-discarded Champagnie is finding a role in San Antonio and will likely continue to hone his skills from downtown. With a similar skillset and build to Danny Green, expect his success story to bear a lot of similarities to the three-time NBA champion.