SAN ANTONIO -- When Victor Wembanyama stepped off the Spurs' flight from Minneapolis with the most mixed bag possible new experiences to process, El Jefe met him on the tarmac for a conversation.

Wembanyama dominated Game 3 to recover home-court advantage in their series against the Timberwolves, but threw an elbow and got tossed early from Game 4 as the Spurs fell to even the series and set up a pivotal Game 5 at home.

This is uncharted territory for the 22-year-old superstar and the vast majority of his talented young teammates. Luckily for them all, San Antonio is home to a large, supportive, present family of Spurs legends. They have plenty off basketball skills and battle-tested wisdom to share, and they show up regularly for the next generation in meaningful ways on and off the court.

The head of this family, of course, is Gregg Popovich.…