Spurs take Victor Wimpanyama with No. 1 pick in 2023 NBA Draft: How he fits in with San Antonio

The San Antonio Spurs selected French superstar Victor Wimpanyama with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft on Thursday. Here’s what you need to know:

• Wembanyama, 19, was the unanimous choice to be picked first and is considered a generational talent.
• The 7-foot-4 center has exploded with the French Pro Metropolitans 92 this season, averaging 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.
• The Spurs won the rights to the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft lottery in May. The last time San Antonio had a #1 spot was in 1997, when the team selected later Hall of Famer Tim Duncan.

the athleteInstant Analysis:

Scout report

Best draft prospect entering the NBA since LeBron James. Simply. Wembanyama is the epitome of a franchise changer. He led the French League in rebounds and was second in points. It’s hard to overemphasize just how great Wimpanyama’s long-term potential is at both ends of the floor. He would instantly be the largest and tallest player in the NBA, allowing him to change the geometry of the court defensively. He has great instincts and the ability to recover at this end. But he’s also a legitimate shot-maker in position who can rebound with creativity and easily take shots off pulls or drives to the rim. He’s a great finisher indoors because of his height and touch, and he’s already starting to try out the shots that can make him special, like pull-ups, fake-spin touches, and 3s floats. He’s a historic prospect, one within the fabric of former elite center prospects like Bill Walton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Ralph Samson, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and Anthony Davis. – vecini

How does Wimpanyama fit in with Tottenham?

Wembanyama fits every team. is appropriate. He’s the player you build around. San Antonio found some strong players in the latter half of the lottery and the back of the first round, but the Spurs don’t have a star yet. Impanyama slides everyone down a wedge into more appropriate roles. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson could be two high-profile young wingers who don’t get the best of defensive duties. Wembanyama would fit right next to Jeremy Sochan in the frontcourt with Sochan as an all-around gap filler who was productive as a rookie in his teens. He will be able to slowly bring him in as a scorer while he continues to rework his shot. Spurs transitioned beautifully from the Robinson era to the Duncan era and now they slip right into the Wimpanyama era. – vecini

background story

Wembanyama has long been considered one of the best prospects in his age group. His father, Felix, was a 6-foot-6 high jumper. His mother, Elodie, was 6-foot-3 and played basketball and helped teach Victor the game. He has two brothers, both of whom play basketball, grew up in the Parisian suburbs and joined the Nanterre 92 development team at a young age.

Wimpanyama emerged as one of the top prospects for the NBA’s European Under-16 Championship teams in 2019, recording nine points, 10 rebounds and five blocks per game as a 15-year-old.

As hype around Wembanyama built over the past year leading up to the draft, the NBA placed an exhibition game for Wembanyama and potential #2 pick Scoot Henderson in September 2022. After two games between the Metropolitans ’92 and Henderson’s G League Ignite, Wembanyama left the salivary scouts and dreaded scoring 37 points in the game. In the first half, they scored 36 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the second. – vecini

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(Photo: Christophe Archambault/AFP via Getty Images)