SAN ANTONIO, TX — With the San Antonio Spurs winning the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery and the right to select French phenom, Victor Wembanyama with the No.1 pick in the coming NBA Draft, the question that is on everyone’s mind is, is Wemba worth all the hype?
It is rare for an incoming player to live up to lofty expectations and comparisons, it’s even rarer for a player of Wembanyama’s height and build to step onto an NBA hardwood floor and make an immediate impact.
At just the age of 19, and standing 7’4 with a reported wingspan of 8 feet—yes, EIGHT feet!—the kid many call “Wemba” has been called the best prospect since LeBron James, and has drawn comparisons to NBA champions Kevin Durant and Giannis Anterokuenpo.
That is a lot to put on a still-growing teenager, who is already being heralded as the next great European hoopster set to don the now-storied jersey of the most European of all NBA teams in the five-time champion San Antonio Spurs.
Considered the gold standard of small-market teams and one of the best in terms of finding, cultivating, and developing international players such as fellow Frenchman Tony Parker and Argentinian star Manu Ginobilli, Wemba has a chance to really grow and develop while being under the wings of one of the all-time best big men in U.S. Virgin Island-born Tony Duncan.
Other notable international-born players that have played for and won in San Antonio–as well as help ease Wemba into the American and NBA culture are fellow French compatriot Boris Diaw (France), F/C Tiago Splitter (Brazil), PG Patrick Mills (Australia), PG Cory Joseph (Canada) and SF Marco Belinelli (Italy).
During their 2000’s title run of dominance, the Duncan-Parker-Ginobilli trio helped lead the NBA in foreign-born players, with their 8 of their 17 players being from outside the U.S. While their team colors are silver and black, the franchise’s DNA is truly multi-colored, and diverse.
Again, Wemba couldn’t have lucked into a better landing spot if he dreamt it up on NBA2K.
As if Wembanyama’s NBA career couldn’t get off to a more charmed start, he will also be coached by none other than one of the greatest in modern NBA history in Gregg Popovich.
Will Wemba live up to the hype?
Only time will tell, but with Wembanyama set to be drafted by a top-notch franchise such as San Antonio, and being mentored by some of the greatest in the game in the aforementioned Duncan, Parker and Popovich, no incoming player could ask for a better proverbial head start on the road to potential greatness as Wemba.