Boulogne-Levallois' Victor Wembanyama prepares to shoot during the Elite basketball match Boulogne-Levallois against JDA Dijon. Photo / AP
Boulogne-Levallois' Victor Wembanyama prepares to shoot during the Elite basketball match Boulogne-Levallois against JDA Dijon. Photo / AP
It’s time. The Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes is about to have a winner.
The NBA draft lottery is Wednesday (NZT) in Chicago and 14 teams will hope the ping-pong balls will bounce their way, giving them the No 1 pick this year and the chance to draft the Frenchman.
The Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs all have the best chance of winning the lottery and getting the No 1 pick — 14 percent, or about 7-1 odds.
He’s one of the most talked-about players in the world right now, for good and obvious reasons. He is a 7-foot-3 (2.2 metres), 19-year-old phenom who is wrapping up his third professional season in France and is about to start his NBA career. LeBron James calls Wembanyama “an alien”, and says that with the utmost of respect. Wembanyama has the height of a center, the shooting touch of a wing and the passing ability of a point guard. His wingspan is nearly eight feet and he can nearly grab the rim — 10 feet in the air — without even jumping.
What is Wembanyama’s background?
His parents are both tall and both very athletic. His father, Felix Wembanyama, is about 6-foot-5 and was a high jumper. His mother, Elodie de Fautereau, is about 6-foot-3 and was a basketball standout. They have tried to keep life very normal for a son who just happens to have worldwide fame already. And Wembanyama has tried to be a normal kid; he likes video games, art, reading and football.
Boulogne-Levallois' Victor Wembanyama speaks with a coach during an Elite basketball match. Photo / AP
What happens Wednesday?
The winner of the draft lottery gets the chance to make the No 1 pick in next month’s draft. So, while Wembanyama won’t officially be a member of that team yet, it’ll be a foregone conclusion that — barring some sort of incredible trade — he’ll be selected by that franchise in June and could be with his new club for summer league games in early July.
The 2023 NBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm will be held tomorrow night in Chicago and air live at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
There is a learning curve for everybody, even No 1 draft picks. And it’s a rite of passage for all rookies, especially highly touted ones, to get challenged by established NBA players — few of them are taller, but many are stronger and more experienced. He will have some rough moments, for certain. But he will make any team better, maybe much better, right away.
Where has he played?
He became a full-time pro in the 2020-21 season with the French club Nanterre. He has been on three teams in his three seasons in the French league, his year with Nanterre followed by a season with the powerhouse club ASVEL — owned by San Antonio Spurs great Tony Parker — and this season with Boulogne-Levallois. His current team wrap up their regular season tomorrow (which is why he won’t be at the draft lottery) and is about to open the playoffs.
