When Gregg Popovich met Jakob Poeltl for an introductory dinner, the topic of basketball was not on the list for conversation, and that was just fine.

Like Popovich, Poeltl’s mission is to understand as much as possible about his new head coach before the Spurs start training camp next month. There was no better time to do so than over a meal and wine.

“I think there is more than enough time to talk basketball and really learn what the Spurs are all about on the basketball court,” Poeltl said. “But it was a really good conversation. I really enjoyed it. He’s a very down-to-earth type guy when you think about what he’s accomplished in his career. It was really cool.”

The new Spurs center was recently introduced to local media weeks after the Spurs landed Poeltl in the trade that sent Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green to the Toronto Raptors.

After he finished his news conference, Poeltl took some time to explain what he plans to do for the Spurs on the court, his love for video games, music and what hip-hop artist he would select to describe him accurately in a song in this week’s Off Topic.

What do you feel you bring to this team from a basketball sense?

“I mean, I think I’m most comfortable being around the basket in pick and roll situations and relocation situations; really working off my teammates. I think I’m good at understanding the game making reads, finding open spaces. And then on top of that, I’m working a lot on my shooting trying to stretch it out a little more. It’s not my main focus at this time, but like I said, I have a pretty good touch around the rim. That’s where I do the most damage.”

It’s interesting that you mention your abilities around the rim because a lot of big men today have a desire to shoot 3-pointers. But you want to do the interior work.

“I definitely do. And shooting the three, shooting outside, I think it’s becoming a big part of the game these days. Stretching the floor is very important, and that’s why I want to work on that (shooting), but I also know that working inside-out, working the paint trying to get the defense to collapse and then finding shooters outside is very important, too.”

As a young player, who do you try to study the most? Who do you base your game after?

“Man, I don’t really have that one person. It’s so tough. During the (2016) draft, they actually used to say Pau (Gasol) a lot. At the end of the day, there is not one person that I can single out that I really studied the most.”

Is there a variety of players?

“I’m trying to pick a lot of different stuff from players. It’s not only big men. I think I can learn a lot from wing players, guards, too; the things that I can pick up and put into my game. It’s not really position based in that sense for me.”

So, who would be the guards you’re studying? Y ou can say Michael Jordan.

“(Laughs) I wouldn’t say that. The generation after probably that I personally watched the most. It’s hard for me because it’s not only NBA players, either. When I was growing up (in Austria), I didn’t really get the chance to watch a lot of NBA basketball. It was always in the middle of the night. I had school. I really couldn’t stay up and watch NBA games all the time. It was really just in the playoffs or maybe an All-Star game. Other than that, I was watching a lot of European basketball. I was watching other sports. I think you can learn a lot from other sports, too.”

Off the court, what is it like to be Jakob Poeltl?

“I’m still pretty active off the court. Obviously during the season, that is limited. We have workouts, games; I’m trying to stay fresh. I’m trying to recover in my off time (during the season). When (I’m not) doing that, I’m a big gamer. I guess. I play a lot of PlayStation. Other than that, in my offseason, like I said, I like to be active. I play some other sports, too.”

Are you an NBA 2K guy?

“I’ve played 2K, yeah. (In) the last two years, not too much. There has been a couple of years, like two, three years in a row where I was really into it.”

When you play that game, do you immediately check your rating to see where you rank in the game?

“I haven’t checked my rating yet. I mean, people will tell me on Instagram and stuff like that. So, I see it, but I don’t actively check it.”

What do you think is a fair rating for you on the upcoming 2K19?

“Let’s go last year (68 rating) and give it a plus three or four.”

What do you feel is a plus three or four in your game? Rebounding? Defense? Shooting?

“It’s a pretty general improvement that I’ve made over the last (two years). I can’t really single out one thing. Obviously, there are some things, like I said earlier, that I have been working on a lot on my shooting that I haven’t really shown in a game yet. But other than that it’s just things you pick up through experiencing NBA basketball.”

What are you listening to nowadays? What is on your iPod?

“Honestly, I’m not too up to date on the new music. … I’ve got my playlist. It’s a big mix of (music). I have some hip-hop in there. I’ve got some EDM (electronic dance music) in there. I have some classic rock in there. I even have some pop stuff. It’s a really big variety.”

I’m a hip-hop guy. So, tell me your favorite hip-hop artist.

“The stuff I have on my phone the most is probably J. Cole, maybe Eminem. It has to be those two. And maybe a little bit of Kendrick Lamar. Those are the guys that are up there.”

Out of those three, if you wanted a freestyle about you, who do you feel will do it the best?

“It’s got to be between J. Cole and Eminem. I don’t know who has the most fire freestyle out of these guys.”

I would probably pick Eminem for you because he has more experience.

“That’s true. He's been in the game a long time.”

What is your superpower on the basketball court?

“I think my best feature is my basketball IQ. Understanding the game, knowing how to read it, adjusting to different types of situations. I think that’s my biggest strength.”

Jabari Young is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jyoung@express-news.net | Twitter: @JabariJYoung