Sandro Mamukelashvili badly wanted to return with the Spurs

Sandro Mamukelashvili: "When Pop called me his favorite player towards the end of last season, deep down in my heart, I was like, 'I hope this means I will come back.' But you know it's business. So much goes on. You have to learn that as soon as you come into the league. People might love you for who you are, but something might change in their view, or something might not go the way they want, so they shift and go in a different direction."

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Sandro Mamukelashvili: "Me and Wemby's bond was created off the court. We both like board games, we're both competitive, we like stuff like Topgolf. It's just a European thing. I think the bond was created even stronger when he came to a Georgian restaurant with me in New York. We dove into my culture. I was talking to him about my food, and he loved it. I was just happy he didn't have any stomach issues because I would have been in trouble." -via YouTube / September 21, 2024 "One thing about my journey, nothing comes easy," Mamukelashvili said. "That fighting mentality sticks with me. No matter what situation I'm in, my only thought is to get better. And if I get just a little bit of a chance, I want to show everybody I'm not just happy to be here. I want to keep getting better. I'm going to keep fighting. That's my spirit." -via San Antonio Express-News / September 10, 2024 To Mamukelashvili personally, the contract that brought him back to the Spurs for a third season — and the second alongside budding superstar Victor Wembanyama — was the most important of the summer. "You always want to be bought into something special and be a part of something special," Mamukelashvili said after a recent workout back in the Spurs' practice gym. "With Victor being here and adding a couple veterans and some great young guys, it's something you want to be a part of. It's constant growth. Nobody's just sitting laid back. Everybody comes to the gym and works hard. You want to be part of that." -via San Antonio Express-News / September 10, 2024