It was near a 12 months ago presently that Julian Champagnie draft’s dreams were crushed.
He didn’t hear his name called.
But he told himself it wouldn’t matter in the long term.
“There’s plenty of men who go from undrafted, two-way, even G-League deals, and get to where they need,” he said then. “At the tip of the day, it comes right down to the work.”
He’s impressed the Spurs plenty in a brief time period with that work.
After being given a qualifying offer by San Antonio, making him a restricted free agent, the 6-foot-9 Champagnie inked a four-year, $12 million deal Friday night, a source told The Post.
His future can be in San Antonio with the rebuilding Spurs, playing alongside generational prospect and overall No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama.
The high-character Champagnie will play in the approaching summer league with San Antonio, but he’ll accomplish that with a recent NBA contract and financial stability after spending last 12 months on a two-way deal.
After getting released by the 76ers in mid-February — Philadelphia had signed him to a two-way contract after last 12 months’s draft — the 22-year-old Champagnie was picked up by the Spurs and flourished late within the 12 months.
He averaged 11 points, 4 rebounds and shot a shade over 40 percent from 3-point range over 15 games and three starts.
“[Julian] has good ability,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said late within the season. “He’s got great size for his position, and we’ve been impressed with him. [He] has been a very good addition for us.”
Champagnie was an unheralded recruit at Bishop Loughlin, overshadowed by his twin brother, Justin.
He was planning to attend prep school, but when St. John’s made a training change, replacing Chris Mullin with Mike Anderson, he opted to remain home.
He developed into one in every of the highest wings in college basketball by his junior 12 months, averaging 19.6 points with 6.6 rebounds and two assists that season.
In his first 12 months as a professional, there have been bumps along the way in which, typical ups and downs most rookies undergo.
He put up strong numbers within the G-League and took advantage of a chance that was given to him.
Now, Champagnie appears to have found a house with the Spurs.
