France youngster Victor Wembanyama is poised to follow in the footsteps of NBA legends like David Robinson and Tim Duncan, and the San Antonio Spurs are ready to get the jewel on everyone’s shopping list after they won the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday night.
With the power of the No. 1 pick, the five-time champions are more than ready to select arguably the most revered basketball talent since maybe – LeBron James.
James made the jump into the NBA from high school in 2003; the then 18-year-old was the “talk of the town,” and he was eventually selected with the No. 1 pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Despite the amount of pressure placed on the youngster’s shoulders, James has managed to weather the storm with historic performances over the years, carving a spot for himself on basketball’s Mount Rushmore.
What a night ????#NBADraftLottery | @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/hLD5Szq7FI
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) May 17, 2023
In the same light, many expect the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama to follow in the footsteps of the four-time MVP. The French starlet is equipped with the skills of an experienced professional: handling the ball like a point guard, shooting like a wing man, and playing impeccable defense.
Already an established star in the French top pro league, the 19-year-old ended the season with the league’s scoring title after scoring 22 points in their game earlier on Tuesday.
Wembanyama watched the lottery at home in France in the company of his family, and the highly ranked prospect was elated to see the draft results.
“I’m trying to win a ring ASAP,” Wembanyama told ESPN after the lottery results were announced. “So be ready.”
Live from Paris… #NBADraft prospect Victor Wembanyama reacts to the #NBADraftLottery presented by State Farm! pic.twitter.com/YBnNQ4hgQk
— NBA (@NBA) May 17, 2023
It is now the third time lucky for San Antonio, who have won the lottery three times.
On the previous two occasions, the Western Conference side made two clutch selections that changed the trajectory of their franchise forever.
In 1987, they chose Robinson, while a decade later, they chose Duncan.
The two players immediately formed a major force for the Spurs under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich. Robinson and Duncan won the Spurs’ first two championships in 1999 and 2003 after just playing together for six years.
Fortunately, Wembanyama is not new to pressure, as the youngster has already played for the French national team, and he is tipped to represent them at the FIBA World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Spurs were tied for the worst record in the Western Conference and the second-worst record in the league in the 2022–23 regular season with a 22–60 win–loss record.
Albeit all of this, Wembanyama is a generational talent, and his ability, along with Popovich’s leadership and man management, could spell doom for a lot of teams.
With Popovich’s track record of turning international talents like Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker into Spurs legends who had their jerseys retired and were subsequently NBA Hall of Famers, Wembanyama is surely in safe hands.
