LAS VEGAS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama’s favorite players in the NBA right now are Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. That makes sense, given that they’re both taller than just about everyone else in the league and have all-world all-around games.
He might see some similarities there.
But comparisons to them, or anyone else, are not what Wembanyama is seeking. When the 7-foot-2 French teen comes to the NBA next season — by most accounts, he would be the No. 1 pick if the draft was held today — he isn’t interested in trying to become the next Durant, or Antetokounmpo, or Dirk Nowitzki.
The path he wants to take, he said in an interview with The Associated Press, will be all his own.
“I’m gonna tell you something that’s been going on in my life, like for my whole life, since I’ve been a kid, even before I played basketball,” Wembanyama said. “I’ve always tried to do (something) different. I’m not even talking about sports, whatever. Any field, I’m always trying to be original, something original, something one of one, something that’s never been done before. And this is really how it worked in my life. I don’t know where it comes from. I think I was born with it. I’ve always been trying to be original. Unique, that’s the word.”
Abbie Parr
Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92's Victor Wembanyama takes part in drills during a team practice Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Unique, indeed, is the word.
“My goal,” he said, “is to be like something you’ve never seen.”
He might already be that.
He is why Metropolitans 92, a team from the top league in France, flew 5,500 miles this week to play a pair of exhibition games against the G League Ignite and another top draft prospect in Ignite guard Scoot Henderson. The Ignite haven’t started their season yet. The Metropolitans have already played three games, and are interrupting their regular season to play these exhibitions on Tuesday and Thursday in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nevada largely to help introduce Wembanyama to the U.S. basketball audience.
Tuesday night will, quite simply, be an event. About 200 scouts are credentialed; every NBA team will be in attendance, most sending multiple people to watch. Some clubs had executives watching practice Monday afternoon. There are journalists who flew in from France, Brazil and Canada for these games that don’t count toward anyone’s standings. The Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns play a preseason game in Las Vegas on Wednesday night; some players from those clubs are expected to come get a look at Wembanyama, as are some members of the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
“It’s good for the game,” Ignite coach Jason Hart said. “It’s good for our program as well as theirs. I’m so excited.”
Wembanyama is just a big deal. Clearly. And literally.
They list him at 7-foot-2, some say he’s 7-foot-4, his wingspan is nearly 8 feet and he can nearly grab the rim — 10 feet in the air — without even jumping. He shoots 3-pointers with ease, almost always unbothered by the efforts of defenders whose flailing arms come nowhere near the ball or his field of vision. He can run the floor. He handles the ball. Passes the ball. Creative. Athletic, blessed with the genes passed along from Felix Wembanyama and Elodie de Fautereau; his dad was a track star, his mom was a basketball standout.
Few, if any, prospects since LeBron James in 2003 have had this big of a can’t-miss label on their shoulders as an 18-year-old.
“I was built for this, I guess,” Wembanyama said. “All of what happens to me, I expected for myself. So it’s just a checklist of expectations. I’m not surprised by what’s happening to me. And yeah, this is happening, this is how I can manage it and I think I managed it well.”
He already speaks almost-perfect English, which will come in handy considering next June, then at the age of 19-1/2, he’ll be getting selected by a team and moving to the U.S. (or Canada, if Toronto secures the pick that will land Wembanyama). It’s hard for him to fathom that he has just a few months left living in his native France.
But he’s also unbothered by what’s happening, and what’s coming. He speaks confidently, plays even more confidently, and truly seems to enjoy all the attention that comes with being one of the tallest human beings on the planet. That confidence, however, doesn’t come with arrogance. He knows he’s good. He wants to get better.
That’s where Metropolitans 92 coach Vincent Collet comes in. The coach of France’s national team is tasked with taking Wembanyama and making sure he’s as NBA-ready as possible by next summer.
“Many people around him are always telling him ‘It’s great, what you do is fantastic.’ And me, I am the coach, so I am the one that most sometimes say ‘This is not good, this you could do better,’” Collet said. “And for me, this is the most important, to teach him.”
On the court, Wembanyama tries to be all business.
Off the court, he tries to still be a kid when he can.
He loves to read. Loves to draw. Yes, he plays video games. He showed off soccer moves with a basketball on Monday, expertly juggling — in soccer, that means to flick the ball in the air with one’s foot and leg without letting it hitting the ground — while talking and walking. He also is working on some projects that he said “have nothing to do with basketball,” and when pressed to give some hints on what that meant, he offered a slight smile and said, “if they’re successful, you’ll hear about them for sure.”
After this week in Vegas, the French season resumes at home. Every Metropolitans 92 game will be followed because of him. This spring, draft talk will intensify. Then, on June 22, 2023, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is scheduled to walk to a lectern and say “with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft … “ and if all goes to plan, Wembanyama will take the stage seconds later for the ceremonial handshake.
That’s when his path, the path to being “one of one,” will truly begin.
“At the end of the day, regardless of what position you get picked in the draft, I think the most important is to have the best career afterwards,” Wembanyama said. “But as an athlete and as a competitor, I can’t accept not to be No. 1.”
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John Minchillo
A one-and-done star with athleticism and length that makes him a legitimate NBA wing. Might be most ready to contribute among top draft picks.
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John Minchillo
In one season with the Bulldogs this lanky big man was a two-way standout with scoring touch and shot-blocking ability. Needs to bulk up.
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John Minchillo
The one-and-done Tigers star is top scorer who has the all-around skills to become a two-way star with improved defense.
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John Minchillo
A skilled forward with above average athleticism and basketball IQ. Another prototypical wing capable of guarding multiple positions.
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John Minchillo
An extremely athletic lead guard after two college seasons who has an explosive first step and can create his own shot. Needs to improve on defense.
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John Minchillo
Considered one of the best catch-and-shoot wings in the draft, he could be a contributor in the more wide-open NBA.
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John Minchillo
A Canadian with athleticism and two-way skills who can score in a variety of ways. He did not play for the Wildcats last season.
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John Minchillo
This Australian playmaker has above-average court vision and has shown the ability to become a lockdown defender.
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John Minchillo
Considered one of the best defenders available, he could fit in well in the NBA’s position-less game. Good rebounder and slasher too.
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John Minchillo
After two years with the Badgers, he’s shown the ability to score in the lane and from mid-range. Has shown capacity to be elite defender.
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John Minchillo
A scorer with great length who can make plays, he had an outstanding junior season for the Broncos. Needs to improve defense and rebounding.
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John Minchillo
One of the youngest players in the draft, he’s a physically gifted big man who can score inside and has the potential to defend inside and out. (His draft rights reportedly traded to Detroit.)
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John Minchillo
Athletic 3-and-D wing, he played 122 games for the Jayhawks and knocked down 39.7% of his threes last season.
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John Minchillo
Showed big upside during his sophomore season with his physicality and wingspan around the rim on both ends of the court.
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John Minchillo
This two-way wing, who turns 19 in August, is considered one of the top scorers in the draft with solid moves and a mid-range game.
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John Minchillo
Another prototypical wing who is long, athletic and capable of defending on the perimeter. Shot better than 50% in two seasons at LSU.
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Rick Scuteri
A two-way player who was a low-volume shooter for the Wildcats, he has plenty of upside with his size and all-around game.
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John Minchillo
This versatile, wide-bodied forward had a solid junior season after transferring from Indiana State. Can score in a variety of ways. (Draft rights reportedly traded to Memphis.)
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John Minchillo
Another one-and-done wing who lacks elite athleticism but can score in a variety of ways. Shot 41.6% from deep, taking 2.8 threes per game.
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John Minchillo
A skilled wing who shot 39% from deep last season, he’s a team player who brings energy on both ends of the court.
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John Minchillo
Played 29 games as a freshman reserve at UNC before starting 34 for the Tigers. Has a well-rounded offensive game and can defend. (Draft rights reportedly traded to Minnesota.)
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Michael Conroy
At 250 pounds, he plays bigger than his size and had a big junior season averaging 19.1 points while shooting 43.1% from deep. (Draft rights reportedly traded to Memphis.)
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John Minchillo
An athletic and skilled wing, he spent one season playing JC ball before joining the Ignite. Has all the tools to be a solid two-way player.
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John Minchillo
This one-and-done scorer could be a combo guard in the NBA, an exceptional athlete with a mid-range game and the ability to score in the lane.
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David J. Phillip
An excellent defender who averaged 13.4 points and 4.4 assists as a junior, when he sank 41% of his three-pointers.
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John Minchillo
A talented, offensive-minded wing who is a scorer and playmaker. Not an explosive athlete but does move well for his size.
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Alan Youngblood
An ankle injury led to him only playing 11 games for his father’s team, but he has plenty of upside and U19 national team experience.
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John Minchillo
An athletic floor leader who can score and create. Good wingspan helps make him a solid defender and rebounder for his size.
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John Minchillo
The Bruins reserve wing only averaged 12.9 minutes but has big upside with his athleticism, explosive first step and leaping ability.
Second Round:
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Craig Mitchelldyer
A true floor general from Canada who has the size and experience to be a two-way player in the NBA after 131 games at Florida and Gonzaga.
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Jay LaPrete
This one-and-done wing is a solid scorer and playmaker, shooting 35.5% from deep while averaging 10.1 points in 34 starts.
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David J. Phillip
After a breakout junior season with the Wildcats, this Cameroon native has the ability to be a rim protector and lob threat in the NBA.
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Marcio Jose Sanchez
A big man with good all-around skills and basketball IQ who is made for the NBA game. An above-average defender as well.
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Darron Cummings
A lanky and crafty player, he’s a natural scorer who can get into the lane with ease. Only shot 38% from the field in his lone college season.
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Ted S. Warren
A combo guard with athleticism who has the ability to score off the dribble, from mid-range and deep. Plays out of control at times.
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Chris O'Meara
A one-and-done, hard-nosed floor general who can also score, averaging 13.9 points and 4.7 assists while shooting 38.3% on threes.
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Rebecca S. Gratz
A natural scorer with plenty of athleticism and upside. Averaged 16.8 points, shooting 80.3% on free throws but only 27.4% from deep. (Draft rights reportedly traded to Memphis.)
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Gene J. Puskar
He’s a low-post presence with the ability to score from mid-range. Had an outstanding junior season as a rebounder, defender and shot-blocker.
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Marcio Jose Sanchez
A one-and-done lead guard who has size and athleticism. He started 26 of 36 games for the Blue Devils, averaging 11.5 points.
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David J. Phillip
This one-and-done, lanky forward from France is a solid two-way player who averaged 9.0 points and 6.8 rebounds for the Wolverines.
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Paul Sancya
Has the skills to be a combo guard in the NBA after two college seasons, when he showed he could score in a variety of ways. A 50/40/90 shooter.
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Sean Meagher
A smooth one-and-done wing with leaping ability who only shot 14.3% from deep (2 of 14). Needs to improve range and defense.
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Trent Sprague
A skilled wing who can score in a variety of ways. Could develop into a prototypical 3-and-D players.
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Tony Gutierrez
An explosive athlete and two-way standout, he has the ability to score in a variety of ways, just not from deep. Outstanding defender.
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Brynn Anderson
The former Trojans star has a solid all-around game that could translate to a stretch 4, but lacks elite athleticism.
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Frank Franklin II
The Rhode Island transfer showed 3-and-D potential with the Huskies, averaging 13.6 points while shooting 43.1% from deep last season.
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Denis Poroy
The one-and-done combo guard made only six starts. He’s a big-time athlete with plenty of offensive moves. Lacks shooting depth.
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Rick Bowmer
A potential combo forward, this Inglewood native is considered a tweener but is a proficient scorer and rebounder.
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Charles Rex Arbogast
A hard-nosed two-way player from France who averaged 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in Australia’s NBL.
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Abbie Parr
Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92's Victor Wembanyama takes part in drills during a team practice, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
