Victor Wembenyama; Future Hall Of Famer
By Jim James
Muresan, Bol, Yao, Porzingis, Fall, and now Victor Wembenyama.
It’s not often that I do a post on 1 singular player, never mind a 17 year old French basketball player not coming into the league for 2 years playing for something called Nanterre 92, but here we are. Victor Wembenyama is a 17 year old born in 2004 who is SEVEN FOOT THREE ALREADY, and he is leading Nanterre 92 and the French U19 Basketball team. Last week he faced the USA in the 2019 FIBA Basketball U19 World Cup, and his France U19 only lost by 2 points to a team that beat South Korea 60-132 (72 points!) in the RO32, and a team that featured Chet Holmgren, Patrick Baldwin, and Jaden Ivey, the sole star, 17 years old. Oh, and I should mention that he got 8 blocks that game, for the 3rd time that tournament?
He is set to have his breakout year this year at Nanterre 92, and will show his stuff in the French League, and most importantly, the Euroleague for another team called LDLC ASVEL, playing with former NBA stars William Howard, Norris Cole, Elie Okobo, and Kostas Antetokounmpo, and against Nikola Mirotic, Nando De Colo, Guerschon Yabusele, and Isaiah Canaan.
Wembenyama could be the crown jewel of the highly touted 2023 NBA draft class, featuring Emoni Bates, Scoota Henderson, Jalen Duran, and Amari Bailey. He is 1 or 2 in most mock drafts.
Prepare yourself, NBA. Victor is coming.