The basketball superstars are raving, half a dozen teams are starting to lose to be on the safe side: The NBA has started the countdown for super talent Victor Wembanyama.
The 18-year-old Frenchman will not appear in the best league in the world for a year at the earliest, but he is already influencing it with his almost unfair combination of size, mobility, athleticism and basketball skills. Wembanyama is - experts agree - the biggest promise since LeBron James 20 years ago.
LeBron James calls Wembanyama 'an alien'
Dirk Nowitzki's mentor Holger Geschwindner, who worked with Wembanyama in Germany in the summer of 2021, is also enthusiastic. "He's a bunch of talent and a smart little guy," said Geschwindner of the German Press Agency about Wembanyama, who measures 2.23 meters and will tower over most players by a head even in basketball. "I hope he's lucky. He brought good ideas with him - he can deliver what only the short ones used to be able to do," said Geschwindner.
If you compare the statements of the Nowitzki mentor with those of the NBA stars, Geschwindner seems almost reserved. Lakers leader James called Wembanyama "an alien" and NBA champion Stephen Curry compared it to a "cheat code" in a video game. Kevin Durant reckons the NBA will have "a problem" once Wembanyama arrives and gets involved.
But what actually makes the youngster, who is currently playing at the Paris suburban club Metropolitans 92, special? In addition to his unusual height, Wembanyama is extremely agile and light-footed, has great speed and a surprisingly stable distance shot for his age. The math is simple: If a 2.23 meter tall player can easily throw over his opponents from the line of three, it will be an extremely nasty task for all opponents. Especially since the throw is only one component in the overall Wembanyama package.
The case of LeBron James, who has shaped the NBA since 2003 and is likely to become the most successful thrower in league history this season, shows how much such a talent of the century can change the league. James won championships for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, was the league's top player for more than a decade and is even compared to Michael Jordan in terms of career accomplishment. James was drafted first by Cleveland.
Which NBA team will win the draft?
This is also expected for Wembanyama in June 2023. The really big question is which team will get the coveted prize in the raffle in May. In order to keep the league balanced in the long term, worse teams are given better chances in the so-called draft lottery. In concrete terms, this means that whoever loses more often this season has a better chance of winning Wembanyama. This could lead to bizarre scenes and games in the high-gloss league later in the season. But even the worst team only gets a 14 percent chance of the top pick. In addition to a lot of defeats, you also need luck.
With Metropolitans 92, the center will continue to play in the French league, and the games will attract much more attention than usual. Geschwindner, who made Nowitzki big and accompanied him until the end of his career in 2019, sees huge differences between the two cases. "We had to open the door first, now it's the other way around," said Geschwindner. Everyone has "clever tips" and this enormous media hype makes you dizzy. "The boy has to grow up in a world of fame," said Geschwindner. That was completely different with Nowitzki.
Glory rose to new heights in early October when Wembanyama excelled in two preseason games in the United States. The giant hit threes, blocked shots and moved so gracefully across the field as if it were 1.90 meters and not 2.23 meters. "It is a great honor that so many rave about me in such high tones," said Wembanyama. But he hasn't achieved anything yet. NBA teams are also more betting on what the giant will achieve going forward.
