The greatest talent since LeBron James: Victor Wembanyama has stimulated the imagination and hopes of NBA executives and fans in recent months like no basketball player has in 20 years – and will in all likelihood make his NBA debut in the jersey of the San Antonio Spurs to legendary coach Gregg Popovich on the sidelines. No one doubts that since the Spurs got the right to the first so-called pick in the NBA draft on June 22 in the lottery in Chicago.
The 19-year-old Frenchman will become a Texan like his famous compatriot Tony Parker – and he likes the prospect. “I love Texas, I’ve been there before,” he reported, following the procedure that was so important for his career in the middle of the night from Paris. “You’re getting a team player. I’m going to do everything I can to win as many games as possible. I want to win a ring as soon as possible. Be ready,” he told ESPN. Rings are for championships in the NBA.
Hours earlier he had scored 22 points for the Metropolitans 92 in the last main round game and secured the scoring title in the French league. In the audience of the small hall, soccer vice world champion Kylian Mbappé also wanted to see one of the last games before the start of the NBA.
Spurs worst team of the main round
To ensure equal opportunities, there is a system in the NBA that weaker teams can access the talent registered for the draft earlier than better teams. The top positions will be raffled among the teams that didn’t make the playoffs – with the best chances for the weakest teams. The Spurs had a record of 22 wins and 60 losses in the main round. Nobody was worse. But with Wembanyama – also known as “generational talent” in the US media – the Spurs are immediately a playoff team again according to experts and have good chances of winning the sixth championship with Popovich as coach in the coming years.
This is exactly what Wembanyama wants to achieve and enable. Only a crazy exchange offer on an unprecedented scale or a serious injury in the French playoffs could probably still prevent his trip to San Antonio for the training camps starting in July.
Schröder: “He is unique”
What makes him so extraordinary that even LeBron James – himself called King James or “Chosen One” – calls him an “alien” with the utmost respect? He combines qualities and abilities that don’t normally belong together. “He’s unique. He has the size, the skills, can dribble, can throw. In the end, we’ve never seen him the way he is,” said national team captain Dennis Schröder of the German Press Agency in the run-up to the draft lottery. Wembanyama is 2.18 meters tall and has a larger arm span than Giannis Antetokounmpo. He can throw from half positions like Kevin Durant. And he has the feel for the ball and the eye of a point guard like Schröder.
“Wemby”, as he is also called, obviously has to learn a lot in the NBA, said Schröder. But: “If he does the things that matter, then he can definitely do it. Put in hard work, let yourself be treated well, then: The sky is the limit,” said the Braunschweiger. Above all, Wembanyama needs to gain muscle.
Peter J. Holt, one of Spurs’ co-owners, jumped up on stage Tuesday with a loud scream and banged his fist on his podium when it was clear his organization would be the first to pick and secure Wembanyama’s services. “Our future was already bright,” he said. “Now she’s going through the roof.”