The San Antonio Spurs have won the Victor Wembanyama lottery. On Tuesday (May 16), the NBA Draft Lottery was held, with the Spurs winning the top pick in the 2023 Draft and the right to draft the phenom from Paris.
The draft lottery was held at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. As the Spurs were revealed as the winner of the No. 1 pick, team owner Peter J. Holt audibly screamed during the broadcast.
“It’s going to be unbelievable,” Holt said. “Our future was already bright, now it’s going to be through the moon.”
The last time the Spurs picked No. 1, they drafted Tim Duncan in 1997. Before that, they used No. 1 to draft David Robinson in 1987.
The second overall pick will go to the Charlotte Hornets and third to the Portland Trail Blazers.
“People talk about generational talent, and they only think on-court skill, but it’s bigger than that,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said to ESPN. “His ability to be a great teammate, his ability to think the game, unique challenges, you see him doing things that you wouldn’t even have guessed someone could do. His approach, his professionalism.”
Victor Wembanyama is at the forefront of basketball fans’ minds as the 2023 NBA draft quickly approaches in June. Wembanyama is seen by many NBA scouts as a once-in-a-lifetime, generational talent. The draft sweepstakes for the French basketball player will be in full effect once the season is over. While the NBA draft is always a thrilling time for basketball fans, especially fans of less successful teams, this year’s stakes are high. Some have compared the anticipation to that of the 2003 NBA Draft. That saw the likes of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony enter the National Basketball Association.
Wembanyama stands at 7-foot-4 inches tall and reportedly has an eight-foot wingspan. Along with his freakish build, the nineteen-year-old can handle the basketball like a wing and shoot the ball from three. His natural physical attributes, along with his skill on the court, are what makes Wembanyama so enticing to teams. Scouts believe he can truly be a franchise-changing player for any NBA team.
Family History
LEVALLOIS – PERRET, FRANCE – DECEMBER 11: Victor Wembanyama (1) parents Elodie (Left) and Felix (right) Wembanyama are watching the French National Basketball League (LNB) game between the Metropolitans 92 and the AS Monaco at Palais des sports Marcel-Cerdan on December 11, 2022 in Levallois – Perret, France. (Photo by Glenn Gervot/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Both of Wembanyama’s parents were former athletes. His father, Felix, is a former Track & Field athlete as a triple-jumper, while his mother, Elodie de Fautereau, is a former basketball player and current coach. His father stands 6-foot-6 inches tall, and his mother stands 6-foot-3 inches tall. The baller’s older sister, Eve, plays basketball and won a gold medal with France at the FIBA U16 European Championships in 2017. His younger brother, Oscar, also plays basketball and signed to ASVEL’s U18 team at fifteen. Wembanyama also learned judo and played soccer as a goalkeeper as a child.
Youth Basketball Career
PARIS, FRANCE – JANUARY 09: Victor Wembanyama of Metropolitains 92 reacts during the Betclic Elite match between Metropolitans 92 and LDLC Asvel at Salle Marcel Cerdan on January 09, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
Wembanyama was first scouted during a U11 game in Versailles, France. A coach for Nanterre 92 basketball club, Michael Allard, mistook Wembanyama for a coach of the team. Allard then called the technical director in charge of the U11 program at JSF Nanterre, and shortly after, Wembanyama was moved to the club. Wembanayma rose through the ranks of Nanterre’s program before making his professional debut with the U18 and U21 teams.
Wembanyama also caught the eye of NBA veteran Nicolas Batum at fourteen. He was playing near where the French national team was practicing when his stunning stature caught the eye of Batum. While speaking on the experience with Andscape, Batum mentioned that after the game, he greeted Wembanyama. He stated, “I saw this 14-year-old kid walking, and I said, ‘Hold up. Let me watch this kid play.’ I saw him moving, dribbling, and I called Tony Parker right away and said, ‘We got to get this guy Victor Wembanyama.’”
Professional Career Overseas
HENDERSON, NEVADA – OCTOBER 04: Victor Wembanyama #1 of Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 walks ahead of teammate Tremont Waters #51 as they return to the court after a timeout in the third quarter of their exhibition game against G League Ignite at The Dollar Loan Center on October 04, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada. Ignite defeated Metropolitans 92 122-115. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Wembanyama began his professional basketball career for Nanterre 92, a French team that competed in the under-21 and under-18 leagues in France’s LNB Espoirs league. While playing for Nanterre 92, Wembanyama mostly came off the bench in limited minutes. However, in February 2020, he averaged 15.8 points, 12 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and six blocks per game in the under-18 Kaunas qualifying tournament for the ‘Adidas Next Generation Tournament’ and earned all-tournament team honors.
In June of 2021, Wembanyama signed a contract with ASVEL of the EuroLeague. Many basketball fans regard the EuroLeague as the best league outside the United States. During his time with the team, Wembanyama suffered several injuries and was sidelined for a long time. However, in his final year with the team, he came in second in voting for the EuroLeague Rising Stars Award.
Wembanyama currently plays for Metropolitans 92 of the French LNB Pro A league. It was here that American media began to cover Wembanyama. In October 2022, Metropolitans 92 played two exhibition games in Las Vegas, Nevada, against the G-League Ignite team. Throughout these two games, Wembanyama averaged 36.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and 4.5 blocks. Due to this performance, the NBA announced it would stream all of Metropolitans 92’s games on their app.
Wembanyama became one of the most dominant players in the Pro A League during the 2022-2023 season. He was named captain of the France team during the LNB All-Star game and also took home All-Star game MVP honors, becoming the youngest player in league history to do so. Wembanyama has also played for France’s Junior and Senior National Teams and led his team to two silver medals, including at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup.
High Praise from NBA’s Best
Wembanyama has also received high praise from many former NBA All-Stars and MVPs as his debut in the NBA approaches. On Wembanyama, Lebron James stated, “I think probably the same as everybody else thinks. Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien. No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and graceful as he is on the floor. He’s for sure a generational talent. Hopefully, he continues to stay healthy. That’s the important thing for him.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo also had high praise for Wembanyama. He, too, was a highly scouted European player who is now an NBA champion and back-to-back league MVP. While speaking about Wembanyama, Antetokounmpo stated, “I had the chance to watch Victor play in 2021, a year ago, for the first time because my little brother, Kostas, played for ASVEL, and they were teammates. And he’s incredible, man. His skills, the way he can shoot the ball, the way he can move, he’s extremely fast for his size, he can block shots, he can be a threat on the defensive end, he’s unbelievable. I believe it’s only a matter of time until he’s in the league.”
Continued Co-Signs
Kevin Durant, a player to who Wembanyama’s basketball ability has often been compared, also reflected on Wembanyama’s potential. He stated, “That type of talent and skill just puts a smile on your face if you play basketball. The evolution of the game has taken us this far. We got a 7-foot-5-inch dude that’s able to do everything on the court. It’s inspiring to a lot of people. The league’s really in trouble when he comes in. I want to see how it plays out. Everybody has been excited about his arrival to the league, so we’ll see what happens.”
Victor Wembanyama has been destined to be the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft for nearly a year. On Friday, the French phenom finally made it official. At 19 years old, Wembanyama is already facing a mountain of expectations before he even enters the NBA. Webanyama stands at 7’2 and can do anything on the basketball court. While many could be skeptical of his talents since he isn’t a well-known name. However, scouts have long been drooling over the intention of adding Wembanyama to their roster.
With the thought of Wembanyama joining the league, the term tanking has been popular. Tanking has long been an issue the league has tried to encourage teams to stop. However, it can be almost nearly impossible to know for certain that a team is tanking. Unless you’re the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks were fined for tanking after benching Luka Doncic in their last two regular season games for rest. However, the Mavericks waited too long to tank. The team will not be in the Wembanyama sweepstakes.
There are a few candidates that are hoping their ping pong ball goes first in the draft lottery. The teams with the best chance would be the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Detroit Pistons. The Spurs have had a few down years, but the franchise has been known as one of the best of the last 25 years. Gregg Popovich getting the chance to coach Wembanyama would strike fear into the entire NBA. The Pistons would love to add the big man to their loaded young roster. A roster that includes a former number one overall pick already in Cade Cunningham.
However, we will not know who the winner of the Webanyama sweepstakes is until the Draft Lottery. Stranger things have happened, but it seems like the three teams mentioned above will have the best chance at landing Webanyama. Will Victor Wembanyama be ready for the challenge of being the face of a franchise? Is there any chance that someone is chosen before him? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section. For the latest NBA Draft news, keep it right here with HNHH.
Victor Wembanyama is the talk of the NBA and hasn’t even played a game. The 2023 prospect has dazzled with clips of his skills plastered all over social media. The 7’4 French superstar will be the first name called at the 2023 NBA Draft this summer. However, Wembanyama’s talents already have those within the NBA jealous of missing out on him. For one anonymous exec. tanking for Wembanyama would have been in the best interest of his team.
The only thing we know about this unnamed executive is that he works for a team in the Western Conference. When speaking on the talents of Wembanyama, the anonymous executive didn’t hold back. “Honestly, I wish we wouldn’t have won so many games this year. We’re going to all regret not tanking every game to get this dude.” The anonymous statement was reported by ESPN‘s Jonathan Givony. Just from watching Wemby’s highlights, you can see why one would feel this way.
Victor Wembanyama’s latest addition to his sizzle reel was an insane feat of talent. Not many players can pull off a putback dunk off their own missed three. Wemby’s length isn’t a skill that can be taught. However, following your shot is, and Wemby has that down to a science. Yes, the talent I’m the ASVL may not be on par with the NBA. But it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Wembanyama doesn’t pull something like this off in his next venture.
The time is fastly approaching when we will finally witness Wemby’s NBA debut. The kid will most certainly have a target on his back from day one. The pressure on Victor may be something we haven’t seen since the debut of LeBron James. While the pressure may be large, Wembanyama seems like he is more than ready for the challenge. Do you believe that Wembanyama is the next big NBA star? Or do you believe he will be doomed from the start? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. For more on the NBA and the latest in sports, stay right here at HNHH.
LeBron James was one of the most hyped prodigies ever when he was in high school. Overall, it was almost impossible for him to live up to the hype. However, he managed to do it as he is considered a top-two player to ever step on the court. Now, there is a new prodigy being hyped up over in Europe. Of course, we are talking about the 7’4″ Victor Wembanyama, who is an absolute beast out on the court. As it stands, he is expected to be the future of the entire NBA.
As someone who has been called a prodigy before, LeBron could certainly offer some advice to the young man. In fact, that is exactly what James did while speaking on Wembanyama recently. When asked by ESPN about the French superstar, LeBron had some great things to say. Mostly, James touched on how basketball is a business, and sometimes, a lot is expected of you. However, it is important to stay true to yourself and just have fun.
LeBron Speaks
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks during the first quarter in the 2023 NBA All Star Game between Team Giannis and Team LeBron at Vivint Arena on February 19, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Kyle Terada – Pool/Getty Images)
“The most important thing [for him] is stay true to the game,” LeBron said. “And that’s one thing for me. I always tell myself, ‘I’m going to commit to the game. I’m going to train. I’m going to prepare myself physically, mentally, spiritually, to give to the game if you want to be great.’ The second thing is don’t forget to have fun because it becomes a business. It becomes a business right away. And he’s going through it right now, and it’s going to get even — I don’t want to say worse, but it gets even more demanding on you on the business side.”
At this point, it remains to be seen how Wembanyama will fare in the NBA. As a pro player in France, he has been fantastic. However, there is no guarantee that he is able to translate that to the NBA. Hopefully, he is able to have the same kind of success as LeBron. Let us know what you think of the French star, in the comments down below.
Magic Johnson is the best point guard to ever play the game of basketball. At this point, most NBA fans can agree that this is a fact. He won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and mesmerized fans with his passing. Overall, he is probably a top-five player to ever step on an NBA court.
If you’re a fan of Johnson, then you know that he still loves the game of basketball. Sure, he doesn’t work for the Lakers anymore, however, he is always trying to evaluate talent. So much so that he is now weighing in on the current consensus number-one overall prospect for the 2023 NBA Draft.
Earvin Magic Johnson Jr. attends the match between Philadelphia Union and LAFC as part of the MLS Cup Final 2022 at Banc of California Stadium on November 5, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Magic Johnson Speaks
That man is none other than Victor Wembanyama. At 7’4,” Wembanyama is looking like an absolute beast of a player. He is killing it over in France and subsequently, teams believe he can be their savior. As for Magic Johnson, he believes the kid is better than just good.
“I had the chance to meet and talk to the best player in the world and this year’s number one pick in the NBA draft Victor Wembanyama!” Johnson said. Yes, you read that right. Johnson is actually claiming that Wembanyama is the best player in the entire world.
I had the chance to meet and talk to the best player in the world and this year’s number one pick in the NBA draft Victor Wembanyama! pic.twitter.com/2KT4NCFVrE
As you can see in the tweets below, many found this to be incredibly bold. Overall, Wembanyama has yet to do anything at the pro level. For all we know, he could wind up being a huge bust. However, Magic seems to have a ton of confidence in the young man.
Let us know what you think of Magic’s prediction, in the comments down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.
Victor Wembanyama is the biggest name in basketball this year. The reason for this is simple. He is a 7’4″ beast who can dunk, block, and shoot threes like no one else. Overall, he is likely to be the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and numerous teams would love to have him.
Consequently, there are a ton of teams out there who are being accused of tanking for Wembanyama. Tanking is the process of purposely losing in order to get a better draft position. It is incredibly difficult to prove that a team is tanking, especially since players are too competitive to lose on purpose.
Victor Wembanyama of team France All Star takes a jump shot during the All Star France against the All Star World match as part of the All Star Basketball game of the French National Basketball League (LNB) at AccorHotels Arena on December 29, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
Victor Wembanyama Speaks
Regardless, the tanking allegations are in full swing and Wembanyama is well aware of them. Recently, the French superstar was asked about tanking by French outlet Le Parisien. Overall, Wembanyama thinks it is a bad way to go about things. Simply put, he wishes teams weren’t going to these lengths.
“Tanking? It’s a weird strategy,” Wembanyama said. “I find it unreasonable, and I try not to think about it. I also heard that the NBA considered changing a few rules for me, but that doesn’t concern me.”
Victor Wembanyama of team France All Star reacts during the All Star France against the All Star World match as part of the All Star Basketball game of the French National Basketball League (LNB) at AccorHotels Arena on December 29, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
Just yesterday, Wembanyama played in the French league all-star game and won MVP. He had an amazing outing, as he typically does. At this point, Wembanyama could very well be the most hyped draft pick since LeBron James.
You can check out Wembanyama’s highlights, down below. Let us know what you think of this young man, in the comments section. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.
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