Victor Wembanyama

John Hollinger analyzes Wembanyama's absolutely incredible game, but explains why tanking is not a strategy NBA teams should take on.

Beyond that, it wasn’t even the statistical accumulation that was so amazing, but the breathtaking way in which he accomplished it. Over the two games, Wembanyama scored 73 points, shot 9 of 18 on 3-pointers, drew 28 free throws, blocked nine shots … But nothing could have prepared us for the show we got from both players

Victor Wembanyama is expected to impact the NBA before he even enters the league. The 18-year-old prospect who is expected to the number one draft pick next ...

“As one GM told me the other day, we’re going to see a race to the bottom like we’ve never seen before in the NBA. “Victor Wembanyama is the singular greatest prospect in NBA Draft history,” Wojnarowski said. Victor Wembanyama is expected to impact the NBA before he even enters the league.

ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported drafting Victor Wembanyama might add as much as $500M to the value of the NBA franchise. These are painful words ...

And that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of the EuroLeague fans, who were ready to witness his greatness weekly on the biggest European stage this season. But he couldn't finish the season in the French league due to a muscle injury. The initial idea was to move Wembanyama to Paris. They would have played at least 68 games in EuroLeague and French league (excluding the playoff games). But as his agent Bouna Ndiaye recalled, that was never the case for Wembanyama. He bought some time and did meetings when Wembanyama's camp showed they would opt out of the three-year contract with ASVEL in June. He came back and finished the season with a couple of promising EuroLeague performances vs. They had one giant reason from an average domestic league club in Europe that overshadowed the tip-off of the 2022-23 EuroLeague season. NBA talking heads discussing Wembanyama's outings in the EuroLeague. ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported drafting Victor Wembanyama might add as much as $500M to the value of the NBA franchise. NBA people flooding the EuroLeague cities every week. With Chris Paul and Devin Booker sitting at courtside to witness Wembanyama's greatness?

LeBron James called him an alien. Everyone else is already calling him next year's no. 1 pick. Just how good can the silky 7-foot-4 star be?

The nature of the game today only amplifies the pressure on Wembanyama, given the obligations for a big to switch on the perimeter, defend every corner of the court, and handle the ball from the outside. Wembanyama plays a lot on the perimeter, but even with his slender 220-pound frame he boxes out for rebounds and absorbs contact in the paint. I asked a handful of executives what the risk really was for Wembanyama to play. He said a ton of friends and family texted him about it and his reaction was merely, “It’s cool.” There’s a maturity to the way the French star thinks and approaches both basketball and life. He already has a concerning injury history, including a fibula stress fracture, a scapula contusion, and an issue affecting the psoas muscle in his back. NBA teams view his family as a strong support system that will help him adjust to life in the NBA—and the inevitable fame that comes with it . Most execs around the league are confident in Wembanyama’s ability to become a reliable shooter because of his rate of progress and the work ethic he’s displayed so far. And sometimes, he’ll use that flexibility in a game to catch a body. I sat two rows back from the court and it didn’t take long for Wembanyama to make it clear he is the best prospect in the 2023 class, and the best prospect I have scouted in my He battled bouts of streakiness and shot 31 percent from 3 and 68.5 percent from the line in recent seasons overseas. Wembanyama is the first to admit it’s way too soon to anoint him as anything, but the Vegas showcase was organized in large part to display his talents on a worldwide stage. He stands at a towering 7-foot-4 and doesn’t even need to leave his feet to alter shots because he can stretch his 8-foot wingspan to swat away jumpers or poke the ball away from would-be attackers.

Fans react to the shoe size of Victor Wembanyama. Next year's top NBA draft prospect wears a size 20.5 shoe.

[LeBron James](https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/tag/lebron-james) called him an alien. [Giannis Antetokounmpo](https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/tag/giannis-antetokounmpo) said, "He's incredible, man. The skillful center played in the Nike GT Run during an exhibition game on Tuesday. Basketball fans everywhere are obsessing over Wembanyama's size 20.5 shoe (size 55 in Europe). We will have plenty of time to dream about the future of the French prospect. [NBA](https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/tag/nba) is bracing itself for one of the biggest tank jobs the league has ever seen.

The 7-foot-4 French prospect more than showed why he is one of the most hyped NBA prospects in recent memory.

… We plan so that we limit the risk.”When Thursday was over, when the comeback was complete, Wembanyama briefly lifted his arms skyward in celebration, then shook a lot of hands, partook in a lot of hugs and posed for a lot of pictures. The NBA Draft is June 22. “Obviously, he’s a very unique talent and he has a very unique physique. The reason: He banged knees with Wembanyama. “No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor … Gobert made a quick appearance on the game’s televised broadcast. It might be a 28-foot 3-pointer from the wing. Added Golden State guard Stephen Curry: “He’s like the (NBA) 2K create-a-player, every point guard that wants to be 7-foot. It might be a dunk. The best of the bunch may have come from Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, who suggested that calling Wembanyama a unicorn might not fully indicate how unique he is. He led the way, of course, with 36 points and 11 rebounds. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The second of two head-to-head matchups this week featuring No. 1 prospect Victor Wembanyama and No. 2 prospect Scoot Henderson, the clear (as of now!)

He has the chance to be one of the best to ever play this game. Yes, Henderson is a great, great prize, but he's in a class with a generationally good talent at the top ahead of him. Victor Wembanyama makes it look easy with this absurd running pullup 3 falling out of bounds from the corner demonstrating his exceptional footwork and body control. I actually can’t believe I’m tweeting this but Victor Wembanyama with the pull-up three from the hash mark. He certainly has all the attributes of a true game-changer. I do, though, have some takeaways from what we saw on the court this week (and what it might mean in the months to come). So, when asked about their takes this week on Wembanyama in particular, stars of the league shared some pretty extensive thoughts. It was so dominant yet looked so effortless, the hyperbole is sure to reach deafening levels in the aftermath of (another) stunning showing . Wembanyama made seven 3s in the first showdown on Tuesday en route to a 37-point eruption and followed it up by nailing just two triples in his encore on Thursday, his second-ever competition on U.S. There are sure to be some declarative statements made after what we witnessed the last few days -- some of which may very well be proven right! [NBA Draft](/nba/draft) class, fizzled a bit late Thursday afternoon with Henderson getting injured in the first half and not returning. 2 prospect Scoot Henderson, the clear (as of now!) prizes of the 2023

The projected No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft shined bright in two showcase games against Scoot Henderson and G League Ignite.

The comparisons have been all over the place, and we’re all struggling to find them. I didn’t play a game in the NBA yet, I didn’t get drafted. Eighteen-year-old Victor Wembanyama is not physically here to stay—he’s headed back to France to continue the Pro A season with his club, Metropolitans 92— [but with two dazzling showcase games against G League Ignite](https://www.si.com/nba/2022/10/05/victor-wembanyama-scoot-henderson-2023-nba-draft-g-league-ignite-metropolitans-92) (and [top U.S.-born prospect Scoot Henderson](https://www.si.com/nba/2021/11/18/scoot-henderson-g-league-ignite-daily-cover)), Wembanyama has arrived for good. There were many of them: Wembanyama’s presence in Vegas also overlapped with a pair of Lakers preseason contests against the Suns and Timberwolves. There’s a sense of wonderment that comes with watching him play—and how much he seemed to be enjoying himself—which makes it tough for even the most impartial of observers to keep a stiff lip. His defensive impact was easy to understand on film, but he shoots the ball even better than you might expect, and his overall comfort level handling it is something that has to be witnessed to fully comprehend. And as I understand it, that message is coming straight from the source: Victor himself is far too competitive to entertain the idea of sitting out games when healthy. Many franchises (I won't name names, but most of them are preparing for losing seasons) flew in large chunks of their front offices to watch him practice and play. [Wembanyama Week festivities](https://www.si.com/nba/2022/10/05/victor-wembanyama-scoot-henderson-2023-nba-draft-g-league-ignite-metropolitans-92) have come to a close here amongst the neon signs and freeways, but the story itself is very much beginning. While Henderson (who is officially day-to-day with a bone bruise) has been naturally cast as Wembanyama’s presumptive foil as a candidate for the No. Wembanyama is very arguably the most skilled basketball-playing teenager on earth, while he’s listed at 7’ 2”, tells reporters he’s 7’ 3”, and, to some speculative observers, may be taller than that. Thursday’s tilt tipped at noon local time and unsurprisingly lacked the same energy, compounded by the fact Henderson played just four minutes before knocking knees with Wembanyama on a switch, getting the worst of it, and sitting the rest of the game as a precaution.

In the two-game series, the projected No. 1 pick in next year's draft posted 73 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocked shots while making nine three-pointers.

[video link](https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1578374518116065282)). [Retweet](http://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hoopsrumors.com%2F2022%2F10%2Fnba-buzz-over-victor-wembanyama-continues-to-grow.html&text=NBA+Buzz+Over+Victor+Wembanyama+Continues+To+Grow)4 [Share](#)0 [Send via email](#)0 … We plan so that we limit the risk.” “Just before we came in last Saturday, we had a meeting with our doctor and we are going to prepare to plan the next two months to increase what he is doing, besides the court, to strengthen the body,” Collet said. Watching him stand out against G League competition has added to his legend, including among a pair of former MVPs. The 7’3″ French center dominated nearly every aspect of the game, delivering 36 points and 11 rebounds along with highlight blocks and outrageous long-distance shots.

This week, the French prospect traveled to the United States with Metropolitans 92 to play a couple of games against Scoot Henderson and the G League Ignite. He ...

The photo puts into perspective how long Wembanyama is. This week, the French prospect traveled to the United States with Metropolitans 92 to play a couple of games against Scoot Henderson and the G League Ignite. [210](https://www.nbadraftjunkies.com/victor-wembanyama) and [230](https://www.si.com/nba/draft/prospect-profiles/nba-draft-scouting-report-frances-victor-wembanyama) pounds depending on where you look — but his size, shooting touch, footwork and body control is going to make him a tough cover in the post. And trust me, there were plenty to choose from. Scoot giving off 1979 Bird vs. [Wembanyama vs.