The joy of sports. Each year, we see new talent enter the sports world, whether it’s basketball, football, hockey, or baseball. With the power of social media, the pressure on these young players is an added obstacle they must overcome. Entering the NBA this year, Victor Wembanyama has taken the league by storm.
Wembanyama was born in Le Chesnay, just west of Paris, France. Both of his parents were athletes. His father, Felix, was a field athlete and his mom, Elodie was a former basketball player and coach. Victor got into soccer at a very young age, playing goalkeeper for his team. As he got a little older, he was introduced to basketball by his mother. Since then, he never let go of the basketball. At the age of 11, he was first scouted.
One thing that stood out to scouts right away was his body frame. He was almost 6 feet tall at the age of 11. Most people mistook him for being a coach! As he got older, he got taller, stronger, and better. By the age of 15, he was being noticed by other professional players such as Tony Parker. Parker was one of the greatest players to come out of France. [1]
At the age of 18, he signed with the Metropolitans 92, a professional basketball club located in France. This is the highest level of basketball you can play before going to the NBA. He finished the season averaging 21.6 PPG, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game.[2]
It’s been a long time coming since the San Antonio Spurs have been competing. This is a big step forward as they have a player that they can start to build around. A 7ft 4 Centre that can move quite well, which is uncommon, especially for players that are so tall. It’s Wembanyama’s shooting that makes him so dangerous. Being able to pull up for three as a 7-foot player is very rare. Yes, it’s only been a small sample size of games, but he’s been able to adjust to the NBA quickly. Taking down Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns on Halloween just shows that these guys can compete with the best of them.
There is a lot of young talent that is looking to take over the NBA. Big names such as Lebron, Curry, and Durant, there aren’t many years left to see them play. Players such as Wembanyama will be a key piece down the road that will dominate the NBA.
[2] https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-draft-heres-whats-next-for-victor-wembanyama-now-that-his-french-pro-career-is-over-221151316.html