History says Victor Wembanyama pick will pay immediate dividends for Spurs
Selecting Victor Wembanyama first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs hope the French phenom will lead a quick turnaround for the franchise. And they may see results quickly.
History says Wembanyama will make an immediate impact on the Spurs. The last two times the Spurs selected No. 1 overall, they chose Hall of Famers David Robinson (1987) and Tim Duncan (1997), who helped bring five Larry O'Brien Trophies to San Antonio, including two together.
Both Robinson and Duncan played the entirety of their NBA careers with the Spurs, leaving a lasting legacy behind. Wembanyama has a long way to go to reach those heights, but there's reason to believe he will.
At 7-foot-4, 230 pounds, Wembanyama is a bit of a unicorn, entering the NBA with an extraordinarily well-rounded game at only 19 years old. On offense, he's just as deadly under the basket as he is from outside, sporting insane range for a player his size. Meanwhile, his incredible eight-foot wingspan impacts the game on the defensive end. Possessing footwork that would make a guard blush, Wembanyama is never out of a play, capable of defending the basket and the perimeter.
Things are already off to a good start for Wembanyama. Speaking with reporters shortly after hearing his name called, Wembanyama said he's already feeling the love from San Antonio.
"I think there's murals of me in the city of San Antonio," Wembanyama said, via Tom Petrini KENS 5. "This is so incredible... I could not ask for a better welcome than this. I really love the fanbase, man."
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