Victor Wembanyama was chosen as the first overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. One of the most anticipated talents in league history saw the beginning of his NBA career when they did this.
“One of the best feelings of my life,” said Wembanyama, 19. “Probably the best night of my life. I’ve been dreaming about this for so long. It’s a dream come true. It’s incredible.”
In the NBA draft, 14 players from countries other than the United States were selected first overall. Since the Italian star Andrea Bargnani, who the Toronto Raptors selected first in 2006, Wembanyama is the latest international top pick who never played college or high school basketball in the United States.
“Sometimes I wonder what it would’ve been like if I went to college… The truth is, in the world, there are better leagues for players that age than high school and college.”
— Victor Wembanyama
(via @OldManAndThree)pic.twitter.com/RHuyMTCgq3
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 22, 2023
“Sometimes I wonder what it would’ve been like if I went to college,” Wembanyama told JJ Redick on an episode of the Old Man And The Three podcast. “The truth is, in the world, there are better leagues for players that age than high school and college.”
Wembanyama has been compared to stars of the NBA like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant because of his height of over seven feet and his ability to move and handle the ball like a much smaller player. Although he has always admired great players, he has frequently stated that he would prefer not to be like any particular one of them. He’s stated that he wants to “be something that’s never been seen before and will never be seen again.”
Where was Victor Webanyama before the NBA?
The 2003 match between Wembanyama and ELCV was watched by Michal Allard, the coach of Nanterre. Allard was shocked to learn that Wembanyama was a member of the ELCV under-11 (U11) squad because of his unusual height; he had assumed him to be an assistant coach.
“Victor Wembanyama is a revolutionary player arriving into the NBA.”
“A 6’2 guard in a 7’5 body.”
“You see something you’ve never seen before in basketball.”
Tomorrow.
9 PM ET on ESPN.
Wemby. pic.twitter.com/3e9hct6AKB— NBA (@NBA) July 6, 2023
When Wembanyama joined the Nanterre youth squad at age 10, he acquired experience playing in all areas of the court and started to hone a well-rounded skill set that included traditional guard-like shooting, passing, and on-ball defending skills.
Bryan George, one of his former coaches, told Slam, “He adjusted really quickly.” Victor “never hesitated away from talking to adults and expressing his opinions.”
Victor made his professional debut in 2019 at the age of 15. He played for Nanterre’s senior team in the European elite basketball competition EuroCup, which won the competition. Wembanyama distinguished himself on both ends of the floor in the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament.
Wembanyama left Nanterre for ASVEL Basket in the 2021–22 season. ASVEL Basket competed in the top-tier men’s French Pro A League (Ligue Nationale de Basket Pro A), which is owned by French–American former NBA star Tony Parker.
For the 2022–2023 season, Wembanyama played in the Pro A League for the Boulogne–Levallois Metropolitans 92. He topped the league in scoring with averages of 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game.
At the age of 19, Wembanyama announced his ambition to enter the NBA draft in April 2023. He made it clear that he means business and is raring to take center stage in the future.