The NBA draft is the hope of an NBA team. A weak team gets a chance to build a new, young team around a core of players who come to the league. Boston and Denver were built through the draft, and now after some process have reached the regional finals. This season, some interesting talent awaits in the draft, led by a diamond in the form of France's Victor Wembanyama.
Victor is an extremely tall young center (2.24) with an exceptional handspan (2.38). His parents are former athletes, his father used to compete in the triple jump and in one interview Victor said that his father "taught him how to run correctly". His mother is a former basketball player and now a children's basketball coach. One of the first videos posted about him shows him tearing up that season's defender, another Frenchman – Rudy Gobert. He has shooting ability from distance along with excellent finishing ability in the ring and also on the defensive side it is difficult to pass him. He plays in an adult league against competitive teams, so he comes to the league after undergoing a baptism of fire. Now let's talk stats – he scores 92.21 points, 8.10 rebounds and 3.3 blocks for his team Metropolitans 1 (second behind Monaco) in the top division, he leads the league in these categories.
Tonight the San Antonio Spurs got the first pick and will likely pick the Frenchman. Victor couldn't have asked for a better team to draft him. The Spurs have a successful history with the selection of high-level first-pickers. David Robinson "The Admiral" was selected with the first pick in the 87th season and Tim Duncan was selected in the 97th season. Together, the two led the Spurs to build a long-standing dynasty in which they won 5 championships (Robinson 2 until retirement) and 20 consecutive playoff seasons. In all those years, the Spurs didn't get high picks and built themselves through diamonds they needed to polish.
Kylian Mbappé arrives to see Wembanyama
Kylian Mbappé's in the house to check Victor Wembanyama's last game of the regular season 🇫🇷
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/IHvT3X8q3c
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 16, 2023
Victor comes to an experienced system with one of the greatest coaches in history, a system that knows how to create stars and historic players, a system that in recent years gave up its best players but continued to fight every season for the playoffs. A system with a good health team (one that managed to keep Zach Collins healthy), a system played by two of the greatest players in French history, Tony Parker and Boris Diao. A system with a winning culture. An elderly Popovich will be happy to receive the French treasure, and he is the one who can lead him to greatness.
For all his many advantages, there are also disadvantages to Wembanyama – first of all there is the fear that he will disappoint and be like Sam Bowie and Darko Milicic who were selected before players like Jordan, Wade and more. The scouting report talks about him not being strong enough, and his lean body won't be able to hold up in the NBA. Even if he adds weight, it could hurt his knees, such as Yao Ming, who didn't last because of his huge height. Even in his game, the lean body seems to have a negative effect when facing a massive chin, whether it's in his facial play or in his ability to close for rebounds.
BREAKING: Victor Wembanyama is going to the San Antonio Spurs.
They get the No. 1 pick.
WOW. pic.twitter.com/hxRDJorM5u
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 17, 2023
The young man got what he wanted, the Spurs got what they wanted, and the league is eager to see if his special potential can break through, and whether we'll see him enter the All-Star Game as a rookie. We can only hope and watch.
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