Victor Wembanyama era begins as San Antonio select French phenom first overall in NBA draft

NEW YORK – The least surprising part of the 2023 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft in New York on Thursday was the first overall selection.

The San Antonio Spurs confirmed the worst-kept secret in sports when they chose Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick, making the player seen as a once-in-a-generation talent the highest-drafted French player in NBA history.

Wembanyama, 19, is considered the most coveted draft prospect since LeBron James in 2003.

“This is accomplishing something that I have been dreaming of my whole life,” he said on ESPN’s broadcast. “Hearing that sentence from (NBA commissioner) Adam Silver, I’ve dreamt of it so much that I have to cry, man.”

Standing at 2.24m, he hugged family members as the Spurs confirmed a decision which had been a mere formality ever since they were handed the No. 1 selection in the draft in May.

In San Antonio, Spurs fans packed into the team’s 19,000-capacity AT&T Centre to watch the draft ceremony on a giant screen and roared with delight as Wembanyama’s selection was official.

Celebrations also erupted in the streets of the Texas city, with fans honking car horns in jubilation.

“My message to them is I’m going to give 100 per cent, make all that’s in my power to make this franchise win,” Wembanyama added.

The French phenom has cut a relaxed figure since arriving in the United States earlier this week, brushing off the soaring hype that has surged in the build-up to the draft.

On Thursday, the teenager, wearing a dark green suit, happily signed autographs for fans before the draft got under way.

In an interview with ESPN before his selection, Wembanyama said he was relishing the challenge of being a star both on and off the court.

“I know I can bring so much more than just basketball to a franchise,” he said. “My goal is always going to be to win titles, obviously. But also to the community, the franchise, to the fan base I know I can bring so much more.”

Wembanyama will begin his NBA career under the watchful eye of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who has led San Antonio to five NBA Championships since taking over in 1996.

“Anybody would be excited about getting the No. 1 pick. I’m very excited,” said Popovich. “You don’t want me to jump up and down or put on a show, do you? I’d do a somersault but I’d be out for three months.”

San Antonio have selected first overall twice before, choosing future Basketball Hall of Famers David Robinson in 1987 and Tim Duncan in 1997. They led the Spurs to two NBA titles, and Duncan won three more with San Antonio.

At his height, Wembanyama has the size of a centre but the ball handling, passing and shooting abilities of a guard, a jaw-dropping combination with the potential to revolutionise the sport.

He can also block shots and grab rebounds with ease and gets up and down the floor quickly for a player of his size.

Popovich will look to further develop his unique talents in the hopes of resurrecting the storied franchise, who have missed the play-offs for four consecutive seasons and have not advanced past the opening round since 2017.

Wembanyama has already drawn a legion of admirers across the NBA before even setting foot in the league.

“No one has ever seen someone as tall as he is and as fluid and as graceful as he is on the floor,” James said previously. “He’s for sure a generational talent.”

If Wembanyama manages to live up to the hype, he could conceivably be one of the faces of the NBA for years to come, with the likes of James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant all well into the final phase of their playing careers.

NBA officials, meanwhile, say there is already evidence of a “Wembanyama effect”, citing spikes on streaming platforms and social media.

According to reports, San Antonio have also seen a surge in season ticket sales, along with 10 times the amount of web traffic and Spurs app downloads since winning the draft lottery. REUTERS, AFP