Fleur McIntyre absorbing everything with the Spurs during ‘Wemby-mania’

In the hours after the Sydney Kings claimed back-to-back NBL titles, assistant coach Fleur McIntyre was approached by long-time San Antonio Spurs executive, R.C. Buford.

Buford, the father of Sydney head coach Chase, floated the idea of McIntyre joining the San Antonio Spurs for Summer League.

“I said, ‘that sounds great’ and laughed it off thinking it was a throwaway comment,” McIntyre recalled to ESPN.

Weeks later, the Spurs organisation contacted McIntyre, setting in motion the opportunity to work as a guest coach in Las Vegas alongside fellow Australian Matt Nielsen, who has assumed head coaching duties for the summer showcase.

Nielsen, a three-time Olympian, has been with the Spurs organisation since 2019, initially as an assistant coach with the G League Austin Spurs, before working his way into an assistant role with the NBA club.

“I thought it was a prank, I spoke to Matt Nielsen and he assured me it wasn’t a prank,” McIntyre recalls with a laugh.

“I feel very lucky that I’ve been in the orbit of the Sydney Kings and connected with Chase and R.C. and Nielsen to be a part of the Spurs this summer.”

While learning on the job and dipping her toes into an NBA environment, McIntyre has also been caught up in ‘Wemby-mania’, with No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama drawing unprecedented attention through his two Summer League appearances.

With sold out crowds and swelling broadcast viewership, McIntyre admits the hype around the 19-year-old Frenchman is impossible to avoid.

“It is a circus, its complete chaos, but they handle it very well. I think they do a very good job of making sure the players are focused with what we are trying to achieve at Summer League,” she said.

“Particularly for Victor, everywhere we go there are cameras and people trying to get a glance. I’ve never experienced or seen anything like it and the staff are commenting the same. It’s a whole new ballgame with all this attention on the Spurs.”

Navigating the scrutiny of a quiet first appearance on the weekend, Wenbanyama flashed moments of dominance against the Portland TrailBlazers on Monday morning, tallying 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. While the spotlight will be impossible to avoid, McIntyre praised the towering rookie for his mentality throughout.

“He is such a lovely human being. That’s the biggest thing I’ve noticed about him. He’s so graceful, he’s so friendly and tries to connect with everyone,” she explained.

“All he wants to do is engage with his teammates and the staff and just be his best version every time he steps on the floor under the brightest of lights and under this immense pressure.

“People talk and judge after 20 minutes of basketball which for me is just absolutely insane. He’s been such a wonderful person to be around and I feel very lucky that not only was I there for his first and second game but I think just being in his orbit, you see what a great human being he is.”

For that game against the TrailBlazers, McIntyre was on the front row of the bench, capitalising on every moment of education and development she can.

“Nelly (Nielsen) is really kind, he just says to watch, if you see anything let me know. Thankfully, I really got to watch and offer some advice at different times, listen and learn to what they do at this level.

“You can see why (the Spurs) are revered across world sports for their organisation. The biggest thing I’ve taken away is the people and the environment. The biggest takeaway is just the real sense of community, care and love for each other.

“You don’t always get that in the world of professional sports. I feel very lucky that I get to work for the Kings and I see a lot of similarities. The people the Spurs hire are carefully curated to match the Spurs organisation and you can feel that every single day when you walk in the building.”

While the Spurs Summer League schedule is taking up the bulk of her time in Vegas, McIntyre is still on the clock for the two-time defending NBL champions, as the Kings look to put the finishing touches on a roster that has endured significant turnover.