LeBron James himself describes Victor Wembanyama as an alien, and Stephen Curry mentions he plays like a character from the popular NBA2K game. Victor Wembanyama is arguably on his way to becoming the top pick in the 2023 rookie draft.
At just 18 years old, this 7-foot-2 wingspan Frenchman is described as the best basketball player since James destroyed high school with Akron in 2003.
In recent days, his current French team, the Metropolitans 92 shown as part of a showcase in Las Vegas, and all the NBA scouts saw the young man in two games against G-League Ignite.
But where did this talented young man come from, and how did he become what he is today?
The town of Le Chesney saw Wembanyama grow up, this town is located in the district of Versalles, and we can say that the boy has origins in a sports family. His father, Felix, is of African descent and is a former triple jump athlete. His sister Eve shares a taste for sports as a basketball player, and also does his brother Oscar.
The young man started as a child when he was only seven years old, and at 10, he was part of the Nanterre inferiors. At 13 years old, he averaged 6.6 and played for the U15.
Holger Geschwindner, a German and possible mentor of this future inductee to the hall of fame, was the one who was in charge of polishing his skills as a player at 17.
“This kid doesn’t need a coach,” Geschwindner told his agent, Bouna Ndiaye, the Post highlights. Wembanyama was already a phenomenon.
It was in an LNB Pro A match that the young player shined and launched his career.
After that game, Wembanyama signed with ASVEL, a team owned by Tony Parker, a former Spurs point guard.
The young man definitely causes a lot of expectations among the followers of his career. ASVEL was where Wembanyama debuted in the Euroleague, the best competition in the world after the NBA.
The young man participated in several camps in the United States, but his wish was to remain in France, signing with the Metropolitans Club instead of going to the G-League.
This team was designed as if it were for him; that is to say, those who are part of it complement each other; for example, Puerto Rican Tremont Waters’s role is to play for Wembanyama and help him reach his full potential on the court.
On the other hand, the head coach of the team is the coach of the French national team. On Wembanyama, there is a state plan in which they protect and shelter him.
This young man will now limit himself to playing in domestic competitions since Metropolitans do not participate in the Euroleague, unlike ASVEL. They also do not participate in the EuroCup or the Basketball Champions League.
But he is already warming up to debut in FIBA with France and could be part of the Paris Olympics in 2024.
NBA Draft
Odds To Win The Victor Wembanyama Sweepstakes:
-Spurs: +600
-Jazz: +600
-Magic: +900
After his impressive showing at the Las Vegas games, Wembanyana is now listed as the -350 odds-on favorite to be picked first overall in next year’s NBA Draft.
What benefits Wembanyama in the showcase is that he had an average of 36.5 points per game; we are talking about a total of 73 points and nine blocks.
The fact is that only six players have done this in the NBA in the last 30 years from a span of two games.
David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Yao Ming, and Kristaps Porzingis.
This young man is not only the best prospect since Lebron, but he is the player with the most potential since NBA players Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain, and Shaquille O’Neal.
His expectations can only be compared to those of LeBron in Akron, Zion Williamson in Duke, and Chris Webber in the Fab Five.
Wembanyama is big business, which can be scary for the rest of the league. But speaking of leagues, it’s a significant loss for the Euroleague. Well, you won’t be able to experience Wembanyama matches against Barcelona, Real Madrid, Olympiacos, Fenerbahce, or Maccabi.