ROSEMONT, IL — Thanks to a fortuitous bounce of the lottery balls Tuesday evening, the San Antonio Spurs secured the No.1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, which they will use to select 7’3 French phenom, Victor Wembanyama.
The Spurs, who finished 22-60, and at the bottom of the always top-heavy Western Conference, had a 14 percent chance to land the top pick. In securing the No,1 pick, and the right to select Wembanyama, San Antonio continues their draft lottery history of success, as they used it to select David Robinson out of Navy in 1987 and Tim Duncan out of Wake Forest in 1997.
The Spurs also get the opportunity to continue their tradition of selecting foreign-born players such as four-time champions shooting guard Manu Ginobili was taken 57th overall out of Argentina in 1999 and point guard Tony Parker was selected 28th overall out of France in 2001. If there was ever a more perfect franchise and head coach for the very mature, but still only 19-year-old Wembanyama to have landed in, it is the Spurs.
Arguably the most hyped prospect since LeBron James, Wembanyama has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounpo due to a rare combination of height, shooting and ball-handling for someone his height. With a reported wingspan of 8 feet, Wembanyama has the ability to change and impact a game thanks to his rebounding and shot-blocking capabilities.
If his two games vs. G-League Ignite in Las Vegas, where he scored 37 points, five blocks and four rebounds in a 122–115 loss, only to follow that up with a 36 point-11 rebound performance in a 112-106 win are any indication as to whats to come, then the whole NBA is in for the best French performance outside of Moulon Rouge.