Former Spurs Player Sees a Championship Team in San Antonio
Former San Antonio Spurs guard Sidy Cissoko sees a championship team in San Antonio, Texas. Here’s why Cissoko, 21, remains optimistic about his former team, despite not flourishing in the Alamo City.
Former Spurs Player Sees a Championship Team in San Antonio
Sidy Cissoko returned to the city where his NBA career began in 2023 on Saturday night. Cissoko and the Portland Trail Blazers visited the San Antonio Spurs, and wait for it to win by a final of 115-110 at the Frost Bank Center. He scored seven points, along with six rebounds, in Portland’s win over San Antonio.
Cissoko said about coming back to San Antonio, “It was great. Like before, I had butterflies in my stomach when I landed here with Blake (Wesley). So, it’s all right.”
Saturday night’s visit marked his second time playing against his former team. He sat out of the Trail Blazers and Spurs’ matchup on April 25, 2025. His return to San Antonio sparked fond memories of his time with his former team.
He said about his favorite memories with the Spurs, “I think just being around Pop (Gregg Popovich) and Victor (Wembanyama). All the great guys over there. So, I miss them, for sure.”
He was drafted with the 44th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft out of his home country, France, and his second home, Spain. He was subsequently assigned to the NBA G League’s Austin Spurs in Cedar Park, Texas, approximately 21 miles north of Austin. He made his NBA debut vs. the Los Angeles Clippers in a 124-99 loss on November 20, 2023.
Former Spurs Player’s Outlook in Portland
Sidy Cissoko’s outlook in Portland, Oregon, remains yet to be seen. Cissoko is averaging 6.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, along with 38.9% shooting from the field and 33.3% from three-point range. His career-highs of 5.9 points per game, along 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists through 31 games played with 12 starts.
He entered the NBA as a versatile wing who displayed tremendous athleticism, defensive versatility, and playmaking and averaged 2.3 points per game and 1.1 rebounds in 29 games. However, he ended up spending most of his time in San Antonio with Austin before being traded to the Sacramento Kings as part of a deal for De’Aaron Fox and Jordan McLaughlin.
After being traded to Sacramento, California, he ended up being traded again. This time, to the Washington Wizards, only to be immediately waived by the Wizards. He later joined the Trail Blazers on a two-day deal, with the Trail Blazers’ G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, who play their home games at the Chiles Center in the University of Portland campus.
He never flourished with the Spurs, but he has no hard feelings and understands trades are just a part of the NBA. He said, “You know, that’s the beauty of the NBA. You have to accept the decisions they (NBA front offices) make and stuff like that, and keep just playing, keep playing hard and compete.”
Next Steps
Sidy Cissoko and the Portland Trail Blazers host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. Pacific. The Trail Blazers can pull off an upset over the Rockets using strong shooting and scoring ability, a strong defensive prowess, effective ball handling, and the overall utilization of key players, such as Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe.
The San Antonio Spurs host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. Pacific. The Spurs can beat the Lakers with the utilization of De’Aaron Fox, the creation of more possessions and scoring opportunities, and the use of their defensive length and interior presence to potentially capitalize on the Lakers’ slower-paced offense.
