7-foot-4 Frenchman Victor Wembanyama taken by the San Antonio Spurs with first pick of NBA Draft
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Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 Frenchman who some NBA commentators think could be a generational talent, was the No. 1 pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Draft on Thursday night.
Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 Frenchman who some NBA commentators think could be a generational talent, was the No. 1 pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Draft on Thursday night.
The past two times the five-time NBA champions have had the top pick, they also selected big men – David Robinson in 1987 and Tim Duncan in 1997. Both had Hall of Fame careers and earned championship rings.
Unlike many players his size, Wembanyama is not a prototypical NBA center. While the 19-year-old can be dominant on defense, he is able to dribble the ball like a point guard and shoot from 3-point range efficiently.
“It’s a tough league,” Wembanyama told draft broadcaster ESPN through tears after he was selected. “I going to try to learn as quick as possible because I want to win that ring.”
Wembanyama said he had dreamed so much of hearing NBA Commissioner Adam Silver call his name, he had to cry when the moment arrived.
Wembanyama played the past three seasons in France’s LNB Pro A, the country’s highest pro level, with the Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92. He led the league in scoring, rebounding, and blocks on his way to becoming the youngest regular-season MVP in Pro A history.
In 34 regular season games with Mets 92, he averaged 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.0 blocks per game.
