According to a report, it’s a done deal: Victor Wembanyama will be drafted by the San Antonio Spurs next week.
Although there are likely countless teams who would love to have the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Spurs reportedly aren’t even entertaining the idea of trading the pick.
“In a little over a week, the Spurs will draft Victor Wembanyama,” wrote L.J. Ellis of SpursTalk. “Despite what you may have read on ESPN, San Antonio has no plans to entertain any trade offers. When I told a prominent Spurs source that the national media was busy concocting Wembanaya trade packages, he laughed at the thought.
“‘We’re not picking up that phone,’ he told me when asked if teams have made offers for Wembanyama.”
Wembanyama is one of the most clear-cut No. 1 overall picks in recent memory. The young prospect is seen as a future star in the NBA, and there’s nothing stopping the Spurs from grabbing him when the draft gets underway next week.
In 34 games for Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 during the 2022-23 regular season, Wembanyama averaged 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.0 percent from the field.
Even at his towering height, the 7-footer has guard skills and virtually all the tools necessary to succeed in today’s NBA.
“[Wembanyama] is a chance to reorient the entire franchise and build upon the experiences and successes of the last 30 years,” the Spurs source told SpursTalk. “He’s that type of player and, more importantly, that type of person.”
Wembanyama is going to join the Spurs organization at a time when the team could really use some positive energy. The past few years have been pretty bleak for San Antonio, as the team has suffered through four straight losing seasons.
Moreover, the last time the Spurs won a playoff series was in 2017. In due time, Wembanyama figures to change that, though there may be some growing pains before San Antonio really starts to establish itself as a factor again in the Western Conference.
The 19-year-old is currently trying to win a title for Metropolitans 92, as the team is competing in its league’s best-of-five championship series. Unfortunately, the squad is in a rocky position, facing a 2-0 deficit heading into Game 3. Wembanyama and his team will need to win three games in a row in order to win the title.
After his time with Metropolitans 92 comes to an end, Wembanyama will begin the next chapter of his basketball journey. Without a doubt, the Spurs are looking forward to what’s ahead.
