Victor Wembanyama has finally arrived in the NBA. There has been the biggest hype since LeBron James about France’s exceptional talent, and the San Antonio Spurs are hoping for a return to old successes with him.
If something crazy doesn’t happen – and UFOs should already be sighted over the Pentagon – then Victor Wembanyama will join the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA draft on Thursday evening (06/22/2023) shortly after 8 p.m. American East Coast time. And one of the longest prologues in US sports history comes to an end.
It has long been clear that Wembanyama, the super talent from France, will switch to the NBA. That he also ends up in San Antonio since the Spurs had drawn the number one pick in the draft lottery in May and thus won the big prize. Recently, ESPN even had a reporter in Paris in the chic district Neuilly sent out, where Wembanyama is at home. The market woman, who always supplies him with fresh fruit, has his say, mangoes and grapes are his favorites. His favorite butcher Imad, from whom he often has chicken for lunch, expressed concern: “Wemby” will probably not get meat as good as here in the USA.
“Wemby” hype in the USA
This problem will probably be solved in barbecue-loving Texas. But another question should be much more exciting: How will a 19-year-old talent, who is considered the biggest basketball sensation of the last two decades, cope with the great hype surrounding him? His upcoming arrival in the NBA was already proclaimed a historic event in the US media. According to the sports channels, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or LeBron James would have had similarly good prerequisites. So the two players who later became the greatest scorers in NBA history.
The games of Wembanyama’s Parisian club Metropolitans 92 were streamed on the NBA app last season. At a show event in Las Vegas against a G-League selection, Wembanyama scored 73 points in 70 total minutes on the court. LeBron James called the child prodigy, who, in addition to his enormous size of 2.20 meters, is also extremely agile and sinks distance throws in series, an “alien”.
Spurs with Coach Popovich – best address for Wembanyama
When the NBA, with its gigantic marketing machinery, pounces on a 19-year-old, hitherto relatively sheltered player from abroad, it can be a bit scary. On the other hand, if you could pick a club best placed to gently nurture a talent of the century like Wembanyama, it has to be the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs have legendary coach Gregg Popovich on the sidelines. Popovich, a five-time champion with the Texans, has more experience than any other NBA head coach in developing top talent into NBA stars: starting with David Robinson and Tim Duncan, San Antonio’s legendary “Twin Towers”, also number one at the time pick were selected in the draft. But there were also talents from abroad who had not gone through the US system, such as Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, who also became world stars and NBA champions with the Spurs. Ginobili greeted the news of the lottery’s number one pick, winning Wembanyama, with a bold “Yesssssss” and the hashtag “GoSpursGo” on Twitter.
Spurs legends Duncan, Ginobili, Parker as mentors
Ginobili is one of the Spurs legends tasked with helping bring what is arguably basketball’s greatest diamond in the rough to the unique challenges of the NBA. Frenchman Tony Parker, who is an important contact for Wembanyama simply because of his origins, and Tim Duncan should also support the young Frenchman. As a mentor, possibly also as a protective shield against the US media, which is already snapping.
Duncan, who retired in 2016, had actually already finished with basketball. The prospect of working with Wembanyama, along with coach Popovich, is said to have lured him back into the training hall, sources in San Antonio said. Under Popovich, Duncan matured into a mastermind on the defensive, and the young center from France with his enormous arm span of over 2.40 meters should now also benefit from Duncan’s experience.
Worry about injuries at the 2.20 meter giant
Defensive Big Men have historically been a hallmark of San Antonio’s league teams. Wembanyama should now continue this tradition: A new anchor at the Spurs, who want to build on old successes again with the young star: “I hope we can get back up there with him“Tony Parker told French media. “But the most important thing for him is: I hope that he stays healthy.“
With that, Parker addressed a neuralgic point: Especially tall players are considered to be prone to injury, especially in the grueling NBA operation with 82 games within six months. Wembanyama had a personal fitness coach with the Metropolitans in Paris, Guillaume Alquier, who prepared him for the move to the NBA and also kept a close eye on his physical development: not build too much muscle mass to protect the joints, but also to not to lose mobility.
Spurs coach Popovich, on the other hand, is considered a coach who has always pointed out the right “load management” Pays attention to the conscious dosing of missions and playing time. It is expected that he will also give Wembanyama the time he needs. Schiessich is the new hopeful just 19. That leaves him and the Spurs enough time for titles.