Spurs assistant coach Will Hardy spent most of his time with the media Friday fielding questions about draft picks Lonnie Walker IV and Chimezie Metu.

“They are both great kids — bright, curious, hard workers, very athletic,” Hardy said. “We are excited.”

That also applies to another player Hardy will coach next week at the Utah Summer League: second-year guard Derrick White.

“Derrick’s growth from this time last year to now has been off the charts,” Hardy said. “His time spent in Austin last year was really good for his development. We are really excited about Derrick’s future.”

Selected late in the first-round last year, White averaged 20.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 24 games for the Spurs’ developmental team in Austin. In 17 games for the Spurs, he averaged 3.2 points and 1.5 rebounds.

“I’ve spent a year in this system, and I know what the coaching staff is looking for, so I definitely feel more comfortable,” White said.

And the former Colorado standout is confident it will show in his play in Salt Lake City.

“I just want to take my game to the next level,” he said. “I’m going to go out there and be aggressive on both ends and try to impact the game in multiple ways.”

Popovich present: After mourning the death of his wife in April, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is back in the swing of things.

In addition to taking Walker and Metu out to dinner Tuesday, Popovich has been on hand at the team’s practice facility to take measure of the talent the team will send to Utah.

“It’s been great to have Pop back around,” Hardy said. “He is heavily involved in monitoring these guys and watching these guys. We are talking to him frequently. He was in the gym earlier in the week. He’ll be watching — believe me.”

Lauvergne leaves for Europe: Spurs forward Joffrey Lauvergne will not pick up his $1.6 million player option and will head overseas to play for Fenerbahçe in the Euroleague. The 26-year-old French player indeed declined his option to continue with the Spurs to join the ranks of the 2017 EuroLeague champions who can offer him not only the salary he requires but also the opportunity to play for a contender.

Lauvergne averaged 4.1 points in 9.7 minutes a game with San Antonio this past season. He shot .516 (98-190) from the floor in 55 appearances.

Lauvergne also had offers from fellow EuroLeague powerhouses CSKA Moscow and Barcelona.

Patient prospect: Metu is confident that with time he will prove to be “one of the best players in this draft.” But for now, the 6-foot-11 forward from Southern Cal is all about being patient.

“I know there are great players in front of me, so I am not coming here expecting to play 40 minutes a game,” he said. “I don’t have a problem being patient and learning and picking the brains of those guys in front of me.

Like Walker, Metu is amazed at the enthusiasm and support offered by Spurs fans.

“They are all about the Spurs,” he said. There aren’t any other teams out here, so it’s all Spurs. Coming from L.A., where there is like six different pro teams, this is definitely a change. And just driving around, you see a lot of murals and Spurs stuff. I’m looking forward to getting to explore the city a lot more.”

torsborn@express-news.net

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