According to the NBA, Victor Wembanyama (Metropolitans 92), a 19-year-old Frenchman, is the first overall choice in this year’s NBA Draft. The San Antonio Spurs selected the young basketball player with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
According to The Black Wall Street Times, Wembanyama has been regarded as one of the game’s most promising talents since the Cleveland Cavaliers selected LeBron James as the first overall pick in the NBA draft in 2003.
The French athlete was overtaken with emotion as he approached NBA commissioner Adam Silver on stage to shake hands – as Silver made the picks for the 2023 draft in Brooklyn.
The 19-year-old told ESPN that he had been working toward this goal for his entire life. “Hearing that sentence from Adam Silver, I’ve dreamed of it so much that I had to cry, man,” he said.
Wembanyama participated in 44 games for Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 in France last season, averaging 20.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and 2.5 assists, according to the BBC.
Gregg Popovich, coach of the Spurs, said, “We’re thrilled that we were able to bring Victor on board.” He also noted that the French athlete is a clearly gifted and very responsible young man.
He however added that, just like every draft pick, “whether it’s the first pick or the 27th pick or the 38th pick”, there is a responsibility to each and every one of the players to try to create an environment where they can achieve the best success possible for them.
Wembanyama later received praise from French President, Emmanuel Macron, on Twitter for being “the first Frenchman to be the first pick in the NBA draft.”
After being awed by the prodigy’s talent while witnessing him play in an exhibition game, NBA superstar LeBron James referred to the 19-year-old as an alien, concluding that Wembanyama is a “generational talent.”
Wembanyama remarked after getting selected by the San Antonio Spurs, “My goal is to try and learn as much as possible because I want to win that ring.”
The 19-year-old joins Malaki Branham, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, and Tre Jones in a young group in San Antonio.
Last year, the center, who is 7 feet 4 inches tall, made history as the league’s youngest recipient of the LNB Pro A Most Valuable Player award.
He has also received other honors, including Best Blocker, Best Young Player, Best Defender, and Best Scorer in the league. Additionally, Victor Wembanyama was chosen for the All-Pro A First Team.